Engineering History Overview

Summary of Themes

• Engineering is a process of constant improvement, focusing on improving existing things.
• Prehistoric Engineering (~106 BP to ~104 BP) involved early humans using and modifying natural materials to create tools.
• Ancient Engineering (~8000 BCE - 500 CE) saw major advancements like the Sumerians inventing the wheel and axle, and the Egyptians mastering stone transport for pyramids, temples, and ships.
• Medieval Engineering (~500 CE to ~1400 CE) included advancements in civil engineering, such as cathedrals, roads, and water supplies, and mechanical engineering advancements like wind turbines and mechanical clocks.
• Fine Technology advancements are marked by eyeglasses, illuminated manuscripts, and innovations in metallurgy and textiles.
• Expnasive Engineering (~1800-1940) saw advancements in transport and materials, alongside the emergence of electrical engineering.
• Modern Engineering (~1940-1990) involved science-engineering integration, focused on fast-pace developments in nuclear, electronics, and computer sciences, including the rapid development of systems like nuclear reactors, computers, and jet engines.
• Contemporary Engineering (~1990-2000) saw a shift towards sustainable development through advancements in nanotechnology, AI and ICT; it focused on environmental responsibility and resource optimization.

Theology in Cultures

• Theology is the study of religious faith, practice, and beliefs.
• Different attitudes towards religion include; theism (belief in a personal God), Deism (belief in a creator God who doesn't intervene in the world), monotheism (belief in a single God), pantheism (belief that God is identical to the universe), pandeism (belief that God created the universe but is now distinct from it), dystheism (belief in a malevolent God), and atheism (disbelief in the existence of God).
• Paganism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Greek Gods and Goddesses, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all examples of important religions and belief systems.
• Important philosophers' views on various religions, religions from ancient cultures, and their reflections on God, faith, moral values, and the nature of life are discussed, including ideas from Plato, Immanuel Kant, Mahatma Gandhi, Mu’tazilite, Averroes, and Albert Einstein.

Metaphysics, Reality, and Being

• Metaphysics explores the fundamental nature of reality, existence, and the universe, asking big questions about what exists, what it means to be, and how things are interconnected and how concepts developed.
• Metaphysics has developed from Aristotle and has been debated by numerous philosophers over time, including figures like Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
• Key concepts and themes in metaphysics were examined, including ontology, substance vs essence, existence vs essence, and being and time.

Renaissance Ideals, Crisis, and Romanticism

• The Renaissance, from the 14th to 17th centuries, was a period of revival in European art and science.
• Renaissance engineers combined scientific theory with practical skills to solve real-world problems
• Scientific and artistic advancements during the Renaissance are highlighted, alongside the role of technology, trade, and financial influence, and the impact of the Printing Press.
• Enlightenment and Romanticism are also discussed, along with the key points, philosophy, thinkers, and scientific and artistic developments during these periods.

Epistemology, Science, and Paradigms Shift

• Epistemology explores the theory of knowledge, focusing on the nature, origins, and limits of knowledge.
• The source, nature, and justification of belief are discussed, along with the difference between internalism and externalism.
• A discussion of knowledge types including procedural, acquaintance, propositional, individual, and collective knowledge occurs, drawing examples to illustrate the types of knowledge.
• A discussion of types of knowledge, including non-empirical (a priori) and empirical (a posteriori) knowledge, and the methods to validate knowledge.

Political Theory

• Political theories trace the evolution of ideas regarding governance, democracy, rights, justice, and equality over time, from ancient Greece to modern times.
• Ideologies like liberalism, conservatism, socialism, anarchism, Social democracy, and Green ideology are discussed, examining their core beliefs, values, and key figures associated with them.

Nationalism

• Nationalism is defined as an ideology that prioritises the nation in political, cultural, and social identities.
• This includes a shared sense of history, language, values, and desire for self-governance amongst a group of people. _

Multiculturalism

• Multiculturalism explores diverse cultures coexisting in one society while respecting diversity and promoting unity.
• It encompasses various types of approaches based on individual rights, cultural tolerance, pluralist identities, and cosmopolitan principles.

Islamism

• Islamism is a political ideology integrating Islamic principles into governance and law, focusing on using Islamic teachings as the basis for all aspects of the society and government.