Is engineering still relevant?

I read the Carl Mitcham article, "A historico-ethical perspective on engineering education:  from use and convenience to policy engagement" last week.  I enjoyed the artcle as I was reading it, but was not prepared for the last paragraph.  I never saw it coming.  As an engineer, I never thought about whether my profession was still relevant, or whether it was still useful to society.  I just assumed that it was.  The question that Mitcham describes as obvious, "Why would such a liberal arts-based program....continue to be called engineering?" was not an obvious question to me. 

This article made me take a step back and reflect about the future of engineering (as I suspect it was meant to do, and the reason it was chosen for us to read).  After week's worth of reflection, I can say that I still believe that engineering is relevant and useful.  I still believe that engineers have a place, in fact, a leadership role, in solving the technological problems of today and tomorrow.  I can say that because I believe that the fundamental nature of engineering has not changed, nor will it.  I would describe that fundamental nature as the manipulation of the natural world for society's benefit, according to society's values, limited to the resources at hand.  All of the pieces of this nature will change over time - what does society consider beneficial, what does society value, what resources are available to use - but the combination of these pieces is still what constitutes the fundamental nature of engineering.  Where I see Mitcham pushing is on the "what does society consider beneficial" piece.  I believe he is arguing that our society values integration - that we as a society recognize that technology has moved to a central position in our society and as such, has as much power to harm as it does to benefit.  He suggests that there should be "efforts to advance a deeper understanding of the nature of the Good" and that whatever comes from that should be valued and considered beneficial.  And I believe that he is putting forth an arguement that engineers, being creators of technology, can't be objective about its potential.  Where he sees a need for engineers to take a step back, I see a need for engineers to take a step forward.  I see a need for engineers to have a better understanding of the bigger picture, just as strongly as I see a need for non-technical people to have a better understanding of technology and its power.  I don't believe that only engineers can lead society through the solutions of its problems, but I also do not believe that society can solve its problems without some leadership from engineers and the technical and scientific communities.  If engineers are to provide this leadership, they must be prepared to do so.  And that's where the National Academy of Engineering's "Engineer of 2020" comes in - to prepare engineers properly for the roles they will play in the development of the solutions of the problems of the future.