Current Philosophy of Sustainability in Civil Engineering
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Volume 127, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper describes the current status of sustainable development in civil engineering. The discussion covers economy along with “global village” needs, and is supported by information about technology standards combined with notions of ethics, environment, aesthetics, and heritage—the philosophical understanding of the cultural landscape of the society. It is recognized that “true development” cannot be limited to purely technical problems; “human ecology” should be taken into account. The concepts of sustainable development require input from all mankind, but civil engineering professionals can play a particular role here; their spiritual motivation can often be a decisive argument for their material handling. This means that “true development,” referred to as the dignity of man, must be based on the priority of spirit versus matter, of person versus object, of ethics versus technology.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 127 • Issue 1 • January 2001
Pages: 12 - 16
History
Received: Jul 6, 1999
Published online: Jan 1, 2001
Published in print: Jan 2001
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