Minding the Machines: Preventing Technological Disasters

Chapter 10. The Responsibilities of Engineers and Scientists

	“. . . One characteristic of a professional is the ability and willingness to stay alert while others doze. Engineering responsibility should not require the stimulation that comes in the wake of catastrophe.”
	--Samuel C. Florman

With the advent of modern industrial society, it has become increasingly evident that engineers and scientists, through their work, largely define the course of our technological civilization that is radically altering our world. Yet, while colleges and universities strive to provide their students with the technical and scientific skills necessary to master complex technologies, they rarely prepare them for the potential role they play as agents of social ...