Engineering and it's usefulness towards society (1 Viewer)

[arcticfox]

Warning: Possible philisophical topic

A friend and I were recently having a discussion on the usefulness towards engineers, him claiming that they were of no complete use, as there simply is no human 'need' for them. Demand? Yes. Need? No.

To put it simply:

His argument:
- Building skyscrapers, DVD recorders, roads and what not does not benefit society
- No one becomes happy as a result from materialism and the efficiency engineering creates
- Quality of life has reached to the point in most countries that it cannot be improved any further with technology

My argument:
- Engineering comes as a result of society, as demands need to be met. We live in a world of commerce, and engineers create and pioneer things as a result
- To engineer is human. It's what we do, trying to advance ourselves technologically. It's also a form of self expression.
- New technology can be exported to countries in need, so that quality of life can be improved there too

What do you think? Does it benefit society, or is it merely pointless and useless (in terms of happiness etc., not the economy). Have I yet to think of a better argument?

 

[Trefoil]

Point?

I doubt anybody on this forum is as moronic as your friend, so there's not really much to argue.

 

[Kwayera]

If we didn't engineer, we wouldn't invent, and thus we'd be as daft as most of the other primates.

 

[youBROKEmyLIFE]

Your friend is a fucking moron. 'Life expectancy can't get better' what a load of horseshit. What do you think biomed engineering is for? To get past hayflick limit and make us become immortal.

To help us use things more efficiently.

Your friend is one seriously dumb motherfucker.

 

[Mumma]

Why not use that same type of argument against everything?

 

[KFunk]

This debate really hinges on what is meant by the ambiguous verb 'to need'.

Without engineers we don't have any advanced forms of things like medicine, agriculture, transport, manufacturing, information technology and computation.

What constitutes a 'need'?

 

[jb_nc]

hahahahahahahahahaha

lolin

hahahahaha

 

[chicky_pie]

Hmm what is this thread about again?

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Warning: Possible philisophical topic

A friend and I were recently having a discussion on the usefulness towards engineers, him claiming that they were of no complete use, as there simply is no human 'need' for them. Demand? Yes. Need? No.

To put it simply:

His argument:
- Building skyscrapers, DVD recorders, roads and what not does not benefit society
- No one becomes happy as a result from materialism and the efficiency engineering creates
- Quality of life has reached to the point in most countries that it cannot be improved any further with technology

My argument:
- Engineering comes as a result of society, as demands need to be met. We live in a world of commerce, and engineers create and pioneer things as a result
- To engineer is human. It's what we do, trying to advance ourselves technologically. It's also a form of self expression.
- New technology can be exported to countries in need, so that quality of life can be improved there too

What do you think? Does it benefit society, or is it merely pointless and useless (in terms of happiness etc., not the economy). Have I yet to think of a better argument?

all of the things he listed enable the things that "really matter" to be done at greater ease, no?

 

[nikolas]

Your friend needs to spend some time in the wilderness...After this see if he can say engineers have no use.