— Previous—Page 5 of 6—Next— On the previous page we said a book and its parts (chapters, paragraphs etc) communicate messages at various levels. Now we’ll look at how a bridge and its parts (chapters, paragraphs etc) carry out their functions at various levels. We have said that bridges do not have just one single […]
— Previous—Page 4 of 6—Next— The form of a book consist of chapters, paragraphs, sentences, phrases, words and letters. We can think of these as a series of ‘levels’ within the whole book. At the bottom level we have letters which make up words at the second level. In turn, words make up sentences at […]
It’s an old adage that travel broadens the mind. Moving around enables us to meet new people and make new friends, experience new cultures and new sights and find complete new perspectives on life. For millennia we relied on walking and running. We searched for food and followed the seasons. We would have dragged large […]
What is there? What is the point? How do we act? How do we think? If we accept that knowledge and understanding is a set of models then one way of classifying those models is as Mythos or Logos. In common parlance myths are unproven false legendary invented imaginary fictitious stories to explain some practice, rite, […]
Mind maps Interacting Objects Process Model There are many problem formulating tools. The simplest is mind mapping to produce process models. The interacting process model is the most comprehensive model but there is no readily available software to support it yet. There is some software called Tesla to manipulate Italian Flags. We, David Blockley and […]
In 2013 consultants McKinsey estimated the global need for infrastructure investment as $57 trillion by 2030 – just to keep pace with current global rates of the growth of GDP. Infrastructure is the underlying framework underpinning all of the facilities, services and installations needed for a community, society, city, region or nation to function. It includes […]
Home This glossary of terms includes some words not used on this web site but which are of direct engineering interest. Word Meaning AC Alternating current in which the direction of the current varies usually as a sine curve active information Constantly changing, dynamic and possibly self-organising information such as speech or social media. AM […]
Engineers use patterns to understand and manipulate energy and information Information is abstract and immaterial and so requires embodiment in material form for it to have energy, potential and flow. This kind of understanding has revolutionised the way we human communicate. Language is, of course central – both to communication and to our sense of […]
Aristotle wrote “Some people who do not possess theoretical knowledge are more effective in action (especially if they are experienced) than others who do possess it.” Aristotle was referring, in his Nicomachean Ethics, to an attribute called practical wisdom – a quality that many modern engineers have – but our western intellectual tradition has completely lost […]
Home Bridges Communicating Chemical Infrastructure Moving Wellbeing War Resilience Tools Mind maps Interacting Object Process Model Engineering timeline Engineering used in its widest sense is turning an idea into a reality – change making – creating and using tools to accomplish a task or fulfill a purpose. An engineer is not just someone-who-deals-with-engines. Based on the Latin root […]
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by Stirrat, GM1, Blockley D I2, Alexander K3, Phillips S4 1 Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Bristol, UK. 2 Emeritus Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol. 3 GP & Chair Bristol North and West Locality Leadership Group at Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CCG, UK. 4 Alliance Director (Interim)| Lambeth […]
In recent years infrastructure has been neglected. It has become ever more urbanised and complex and more vulnerable. It might be that we are simply more aware of what is happening in a world of 24/7 news. Whatever the reason the idea of resilience has emerged as critical. The concept has resonated across developed and […]
