Engineering Superiority

The Famous Engineer Henry Petroski once wrote about one of his students who asked, “Why do engineering students feel superior to those of us studying in nontechnical fields?” [2] . Petroski answered the question like this: “Engineers are recognized as the creative people who bring us innovations like the smart phone, the personal computer, the Internet, and the World Wide Web, all of which have revolutionized the way we live, work, and play.” He concluded that engineers are considered superior because of their knowledge and creativity. I’m not sure that he came to the correct conclusion.