Abstract
IN an address to the Society of Engineers on October 4, entitled "Engineering and the New Economics", Dr. H. Chatley suggested that the engineer can contribute to the solution of economic problems of to-day in three ways. In the first place, the engineer can study the problem in terms of realities, such as goods, energy and services, and endeavour to disentangle them from the cobwebs of finance. Secondly, some engineers by entering politics can assist in spreading ideas on the realities of life. Thirdly, the engineer both by speech and by writing can help to explode some old fallacies and to educate the public in newer ideas and especially in that of the impartial application of scientific method to public affairs. Dr. Chatley illustrated his argument in respect of the last point by outlining in some detail the way in which the engineer can assist in the development of a sound fiscal policy in regard to coal and oil as well as in regard to the prevention of atmospheric pollution, the preservation of amenities, the question of values and prices, international debts, and population limits, and concluded by asserting that it is the duty of the engineer to understand the problems which have been raised by the misapplication by others of his skill. Scientific method should play an important part in citizenship since the classification of facts, the recognition of their sequence and significance and the habit of forming an unbiased judgment upon the facts which are characteristic of the scientific frame of mind are also essentials of good citizenship.
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Engineering and Economics. Nature 141, 70 (1938). https://doi.org/10.1038/141070a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/141070a0