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Suggested Readings for Engr Students 40

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braxtonlewis

braxtonlewis

Civil/Environmental
Oct 11, 2005
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Quite a few of my undergraduate students from this semester have been asking me to recommend to them 'books' or other readings that will help them toward their development as a human being as well as an engineer. So I created my first ever blog to answer this question.


The books listed are the one's that I seem to recommend most to just about everyone. Would you mind taking a look and letting me know what you think? What else would you recommend to me and to our students?



Braxton V. Lewis
Morgantown, WV
 
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"If I wanted to worry so much about symbolism (beyond that in the work, for the work), I'd go back to high school English class. "

While to the discerning reader, that may be the case, there are clearly others who, upon reading such tripe, will take up the cause promoted by her books. So, the symbolism is certainly there, whether you care about it or not. However, if you don't care about it, you can't begin to understand the people who have incorporated such concepts into their beliefs and actions.

In many cases, this is the root philosophy building up to anti-union and anti-government sentiments. And the fallacy there is the notion that everyone, when left to their own devices, are all budding John Galts. But, that's clearly not the case, EVER, as demonstrated, over and over, throughout history. The near slave labor conditions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries is what spurred the creation of unions. These workers could never be John Galts, because they had ZERO power and ZERO resources. And the people that ran these factories had might on their side.

Likewise, one can consider the American Indians, to be John Galt-like, and the lack of a common government that could command the total resources of the Indian tribes again allowed those with "might," i.e., the US Army, to take those lands away from the Indians and "give" them to the settlers that moved in. Of course, it's unclear whether the Indians could have ever won, given that they were numerically outnumbered, but, they probably could have made it a lot more difficult, e.g., the defeat of Custer.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize
 
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JohnRBaker,

My understanding is that Darwin was a very good, professional scientist. His work does not sound ideological.

You are absolutely correct about George Orwell. I strongly recommend Decline of the English Murder, a collection of essays he wrote. It is easy to forget that Orwell was a left-wing socialist.

I think Orwell was way more observant than Ayn Rand. His fiction rises way above the melodrama of Atlas Shrugged, especially, Animal Farm.

On the other hand, Orwell was writing about the politics of the 1930s and 1940s. The bloody minded, lawless politcal ideologies of the 1930s were discredited by WWII, and they did not survive the collapse of the Soviet Union. His essays are a good read, and essays obviously are an opinionated medium. I don't think his fiction is politically relevant anymore.

Critter.gif
JHG
 
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My comment about Darwin was in light of current events. After all, Newton was also a "very good, professional scientist" but can you imagine a group of political wannabees standing on a stage, denying that 'gravity' was an 'unproven science'?

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
 
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drawoh said:
lacajun,

Atlas Shrugged is fiction, but it is not remotely value neutral.
Click to expand...

I never said it was not. BTW, I have friends, who make the same comment about the Bible and are atheist. They believe all kinds of stuff written about Jesus but not one word He said, which I find interesting. They also wonder why American society and culture has coarsened over the last two or three decades. But, they outright reject the value of the Bible. Man came up with the Ten Commandments and other "things" they deem worthy in the Bible. I've had those conservations with them often.

I don't view too many things with people as value neutral. People will take up causes for all kinds of reasons and some are completely unprovoked by anything other than their own prejudices and biases. I've had to stop some friends from railing on and on about Obama. I am Republican and would never vote for him but it is completely unwarranted on my part to not defend his character and ethnicity, when being attacked for any reason. I disagree with his world view but that does not mean he is a man lacking in character and that his black heritage should be attacked. If I didn't defend his character and heritage, my inaction would be just as despicable as my friends' actions.

JohnRBaker said:
After all, Newton was also a "very good, professional scientist" but can you imagine a group of political wannabees standing on a stage, denying that 'gravity' was an 'unproven science'?
Click to expand...

I suspect that will follow their deficit spending philosophies. ;-)

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC
 
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JohnRBaker said:
... After all, Newton was also a "very good, professional scientist" but can you imagine a group of political wannabees standing on a stage, denying that 'gravity' was an 'unproven science'?
Click to expand...

If someone claims that gravity is "just a theory", you can ask them to demonstrate what nonsense it is. Reality TV seems to be full of people trying this very thing.

Critter.gif
JHG
 
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drawoh: Orwell's fiction is still very relevant- as a cautionary tale. No right-winger could have written Animal Farm with any credibility, but a socialist who fought as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War certainly could do so. Unlike Rand, Orwell wrote true literature- something genuinely informative about the human condition.

lacajun: you can't rationalize Christianity with a book by an author whose underlying "philosophy" is that selfishness is virtuous. This viewpoint permeates her fiction. Jesus preached the exact opposite.
 
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moltenmetal, I am not rationalizing Christianity with any other book. The Bible is my filter for everything in life. The God of the Bible is greater than Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged or any other book. He created it all thus He owns it all and we've been very poor stewards of His creation. He raises people up and He brings us down. Jesus Christ alone provides for our salvation because He alone is the unblemished lamb.

I view the Bible as completely non-fiction, i.e., the infallible, inerrant word of God, the mind of Jesus Christ, God breathed, etc. It is the best and only guidebook for living life. It is the revelation of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Why would anyone with those beliefs rationalize it with any other book and especially one from an atheist? Why do you insist that is what I am doing? You don't know me beyond a few posts here. We've not sat down and discussed life with the Bible open before us. I am open to that, if you are.

I view Ayn Rand's books as fiction. I know people who view Atlas Shrugged as the greatest book ever written and the Bible as irrelevant. I know some of those people live together as man and wife, or have, without the benefit of marriage. I view that as sin; therefore, I will not vote or support a man like Gary Johnson as a presidential candidate or any other public office. We don't need a man in the highest office of the USA parading his sin before us. I have friends who sin to this day as a way of lifestyle but I don't let them influence my thinking and decisions. My thinking and decisions are between me and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am clearly and unequivocally on the right. I am a social and fiscal conservative. I have learned that is what works and that is what is in the Bible. Socialism is not in the Bible I study. I understand Progressives are trying to change that but ultimately they will fail.

I have given above and beyond my 10% tithes for years. I've helped people a lot more than I should have because it enabled them and aided their irresponsibility. I've seen others do the same thing. I believe in helping those who need a helping hand but it has to be extended very prudently. If I hadn't been so helpful to others, I would be in much better financial shape today; however, my spiritual life would be in a shambles. I tithe today even though I have zero positive cash flow. Do you think for one minute I believe selfishness is a virtue?

My disabled brother lives with me rent free because he can't afford to live anywhere else. He has a sizable portion of my home. He can use anything I have including my motorcycle. I am working with him on his problems in addition to providing a free place to live. I cook for him sometimes and especially so when his pain level is high. Is that someone who rationalizes selfishness is virtuous with the Bible?

I understand we are to be friendly, charitable, encouraging, etc. I also understand we are to spread the Gospel Message, which is a mandate from Jesus Christ. I also understand I have limitations in many ways. I understand a lot more than there is room here to write.

I also believe you are attributing something to me that is false and I would ask that you stop. I do not subscribe to selfishness as a virtue. I take exception to your claim that I am and do. Indeed, I find it offensive. I am not angry with you and would meet you for coffee, if you lived in the Denver metroplex, to discuss this issue. Yet, I do think you are being unfriendly towards me. That, moltenmetal, is a problem for you not me.

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC
 
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moltenmetal, your apology is accepted. If you are ever in the Denver area, let me know. I'd be glad to buy you a coffee or a brew so we can solve all the world's problems over our libations. I am sure you are a gentle person and meant no harm. I do enjoy your posts, wisdom, and wit. :)

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC
 
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I'm surprised I didn't think to include this earlier: Anything by Edward De Bono but especially anything on lateral thinking.

The tricks people use to mislead others include such things as presenting only partial options. For example:
"Is it better to be poor and happy or rich and unhappy?"
This offers only two choices and many people respond only within the limitations imposed by the question.
The best way to answer is to identify the full range of options which includes also "poor and unhappy" and "rich and happy".

Lateral thinking suggests that problem solving should look at the most desirable outcome as an objective and find ways to meet it.
There is a very good example, "The Two Pebbles" in one of the books involving the story of a young girl faced with the problem of the moneylender and her grandfather's gambling debts.
(the story is slightly different at the link included but the answer is the same. I suggest anyone trying this take a long time to think how the deviousness of the moneylender gave her a sure fire solution before jumping to the answer.)



JMW
 
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Most political polls are conducted this way... do you like our candidate and what he's doing to help, or do you like their candidate and what he's doing to hurt? Those with intelligence will see through the ruse and refuse to answer, and those without may need to be led to water (too many options may confuse them).

Dan - Owner
Footwell%20Animation%20Tiny.gif
 
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I went to a Jesuit university that required all to take a philosphy elective. One of the electives was "Logic". Engineering majors were not permitted to taek that course to fulfill the requirement, as it was deemed to easy.
 
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Of course, knowing how to put propositions to management is a great benefit.
Never give them a yes no option, always a this or that choice and then load the report so they choose the right answer.
So maybe they also should watch the entire "Yes Minister" and "Yes Prime Minister" series.


JMW
 
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Also young engineers need to develop their presentation skills (someone mentioned Rhetoric) overcoming the natural fear of speaking before an audience. This is critical since many really good ideas have been passed over by management when the owner of the idea lacked the skills needed to convince the decision makers (the guys who write the checks) that their idea is worth investing in or is the superior choice when there are competing ones being considered. When is was in engineering school some 40+ year ago, they added during my final year a new mandatory class in 'Report Presentation', where we were introduced to not only the media and materials being used (this was before PowerPoint) for making presentation collateral such as overhead slides, posters, props (models) and then how to make the presentation itself. We did have some early video recording equipment so we were able to review and critique our own 'performance'.

Also my final term's Design Engineering project required that we make an oral presentation to our professor and our peers, where we were subject to being asked questions from anyone (and if your peers didn't step up to the plate the professor always had a set of questions to fill the 'dead air'). Now we could use any material or props that you wanted (this dovetailed nicely with what you had hopefully learned in the 'Report Presentation' class that you had just taken, hopefully the term before) but this stand-up presentation was a significant part of your final grade (for the record, I got an A+ in the class, the first A+ given by this professor in what was already a rather long career, but I had been working as a draftsman during my previous summers so unlike many of my peers, I may have had an unfair advantage with respect to having seen engineers in action and observing the ones who were most effective in getting their ideas sold).

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
 
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