Research Assessment #3
Date: 18 September 2017
Subject: Impact of engineers in society
MLA Citation:
Johannes Gutenberg.” ASME.org,
www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/history-of-mechanical-engineering/johannes-gutenberg.
Assessment:
Mechanical engineers, in our society today, provide a lot of the basic technical necessities that we use today. These include engines, generators, air conditioning, etc. Mechanical engineers also play a critical role in manufactured technologies such as cars, planes to refrigerators and microwaves. One example of a product having an impact on society is the printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg. Before the printing press the world was having to handwrite and were using movable blocks that were typically hand carved to print the text necessary. Without the Gutenberg printing press, news and other information were likely to be harder to produce and send out to the masses. Gutenberg was able to help provide a better means of communication between different countries. It was also a way for literature and news to be spread between different countries and different cultures or religions.
Engineers have been able to positively affect and help shape the world to where it is today. One example of this came in the 15th century where the world was at a point where interaction was at an all time high. Johannes Gutenberg was able to change the course of history by inventing the printing press. It allowed for news and other necessary information to be mass produced and sold to the masses. This invention brought change to an ever changing world and affected it for the better. Engineers are able to impact the world because they are creating new inventions and innovating old products so they can, in turn, benefit us. Without the great minds of engineers, the world wouldn’t be the same.
Not all engineers are going to be able to have the same level of impact as Johannes Gutenberg. He was able to impact the whole world by making a machine that can mass produce newspapers, books, and documents. Most engineers are going to be able to impact a group of people or even just one person which still makes a difference in society. Engineers can accomplish these goals by creating a product that they feel can help improve someone's day or help make a certain task more efficient to solving global problems that need to be solved.
Looking back at this article about Johannes Gutenberg inventing the printing press shows how creating one product can have a lasting impact on society. To me this shows how engineers are able to have a positive impact on society. If just one engineers inventions is able to impact the masses it sheds light on the work that engineers are doing.