If we talk about the necessity of equipping contemporary engineers, functioning in the “Industry 4.0” and/or creating for the members of “e-society” practical conditions of being and acting and also equipping non-engineers in a (which one?) set of technical knowledge and competencies, the evident problem appears: is there a balance between the amount of non-technical knowledge and competencies of an engineer and the amount of technical knowledge and competencies of non-engineers if we expect the our “e-world” will function properly (according to expectations)?
This is a very clever question. Too smart for getting a simple answer. Let me answer in a lateral way. I think that the real question is not about the human sciences skills of engineers or the technical knowledge of non-engineers. It is more about the place devoted to man (and woman) in the production system.
If human beings are considered as the main value, the competences of (non)engineers are not the most important thing: tomorrow, the use of artificial intelligence will allow them to mix their competences for the best. And if it does not work perfectly the first time, it will be better the second.
But, if the main criterion is profit and if men (and women) are only considered as means to grow these profits, whatever will be done, whatever will be the competences of (non)engineers in their domain or in the domain of others, the e-society might be a hell for them.
I suggest you to have a look at:
Book Preview: Platformisation 2027
andBook Modes and methods of production in France in 2040
E-society is a society that consists of one or more e-Communities involved in the areas from e-Government, e-Democracy, and e-Business to e-Learning and e-Health, that use information and communication technologies (ICT) in order to achieve a common interests and goals.
The first areas of e-society that emerged were e-Learning and e-Business.
The development of e-Society is relying and depending on the development of virtual reality (VR) technologies that insure interaction between participants of an e-Society in a more acceptable and tangible way.
The development of (VR) and consequently the e-Society is based on improvement and balancing of participants’ interaction methods, hardware necessary for such interaction, content presentation and effort required for development and maintenance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-society
To Michel Henry:
Dear Michel,
Thank you very much for the answer to my - as you have stated - "a clever question". Your answer may also be perceived as "clever" and, in your approach you are evidently right.
But my approach results both from experience and reflection of someone who prepares young people to perform their social role and is therefore "burdened didactically." Consequently, I consider as a very important problem - especially in the perspective of a technical university, but not only - to decide how and what to teach future engineers. In their future work they will probably use various methods and tools, but even "artificial intelligence" in practical use requires a certain amount of knowledge and competence of its users. The above also applies to the educating of "non-engineers".
However, as a rule, I do not agree to the "objective" treatment of men and women functioning in society. Even if we assume that they are a "means to increase profits," their education and experience will certainly diversify the ability of individual individuals to "multiply profit".
To Emmanuel_Murray:
Dear Emmanuel,
Your point of view is very interesting, but could you - please - be not so "laconic". Why you are sure that engineers ought to be equipped with some non-technical knowledge but "non-engineers" do not need a technical knowledge?
To Prof. Subhash C. Kundu:
Dear Professor Kundu,
Thank you for the answer, but - for me - the problem is not to define different "E-something".
The modern world is what it is and its future can be seen in a fairly clear perspective. As an academic teacher, I want to know how to optimally prepare my students for different roles in this e-world.
At present, the conviction still persists that a technical university is to teach technical issues and, for example, an economic university ought to focus on problems related strictly to economics.
Because the world is changing, I think it's worth for us as academics and academic teachers to start debate the necessary program changes in the higher education system.
Cordial greetings,
Prof. Jan Kaźmierczak
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