Tasks for the text:
1) Read and translate the text (in the written form)
2) Answer the questions in the written form (according to the text):
- Why are three values given in the text important to the civil engineers?
- What do communities take pride in?
- What characteristics are necessary for engineers nowadays?
3) Make up the sentences in Indefinite (3 sentences) , Continuous (3 sentences) and Perfect (3 sentences) forms, using words in bold from the text and time phrases which justify the usage of the verb form. (Total: 9 sentences)
The words: take pride, underappreciate, stone-and-steel structures, fit, communities, provide, surroundings, implications, solution, sustainability.
4) Put the following sentences into negative (1 sentence) and interrogative (4 sentences) forms
1. It is important for the engineer to be liberally educated in the humanities and social sciences.
2. Communities often take pride when local infrastructure is recognized as being aesthetically pleasing.
3. The study of Aristotle and Plato’s philosophies focused on the importance of logical reasoning in decision making.
4. Communities are often willing to provide additional funds for engineered facilities.
5) Write a short essay (150 - 200 words) on the topic:
Civil Engineer of the 21st Century
Test 2 Version 8
Text
Three values that are important to the public but are often underappreciated by engineers are
• Aesthetics: Perception of excellence in craftsmanship; beauty.
• Variety: Having a broader perspective; acknowledging diversity of perceptions of excellence in appearance or form.
• Enjoyment: The sensation of experiencing pleasure or being gratified for something done well.
Engineers have been confronted by the ethical dilemmas that require well-reasoned decisions. Ethical decision making requires defining the moral dilemma, developing alternative solutions, obtaining relevant information about each alternative, evaluating the alternatives, and implementing the selected alternative. While a philosophy course may use this decision process for an issue such as abortion or gun control, the decision process itself is an important educational objective in civil engineering.
Seeing the generality of the process through discussion within a specific philosophical context is a better learning mechanism than seeing the process applied solely to a decision about managing a construction project. Understanding the general process will enable a person to apply it to a broad array of problems. Philosophy also encourages examination of personal values and morals, which ensures that an engineer will make decisions for the common good, especially when he or she is challenged by competing influences or objectives.
A primary responsibility of leaders is to make decisions. Leaders in civil engineering design firms make decisions on a regular basis, including personnel selection, whether or not to bid on a proposed project, which piece of software is most appropriate for a particular design, and establishing organizational goals for the future. While we are associating decision making with business management, it also falls in the realm of philosophy, which is a primary part of humanities. The process used by philosophers to make decisions about moral issues is quite similar to the decision process used by both business managers and leaders of engineering firms. Thus, a philosophy course in moral decision making is relevant to the engineering student from a professional standpoint and even more from a personal perspective.