ABSTRACT
The Greek term "praxis" has an ordinary meaning that roughly corresponds to the ways in which we now commonly speak of "action" or "doing," and it is frequently translated into English as "practice." Whereas "practice" connotes for some people mundane activities that is not motivated by theoretical considerations, "praxis" takes on a quasitechnical meaning derived from Aristotle. Unlike many physicians and lawyers, engineers are typically employees in large bureaucracies. Within these bureaucracies one can distinguish two types of engineers: the "line" engineer, whose workload is principally of an engineering nature, and the engineer-manager, whose responsibilities are mainly managerial. Virtually every definition of the term "engineering" has included something like "the application of science to practical or societal problems." Engineering research is scientific and professional engineers are "applied" scientists as distinct from "pure" scientists. Engineers as scientists can thus enjoy the faith Americans have in the scientific method, and can even claim to "know" why and how technology works.
