Engineers of the Digital Anthropocene: Teaching Engineering in an Uncertain Era

Authors

  • José Manuel de Cózar Escalante Universidad de La Laguna

Keywords:

Anthropocene, digital technology, engineering education, dematerialization, digital and environmental humanities

Abstract

Although it has not been officially approved, the idea that we have now entered the Anthropocene era is becoming more widely accepted. This refers to a geological epoch in which human beings have the capacity to modify the Earth’s system as a whole. Because technology plays a fundamental role in this transformation, it is crucial to reflect on the consequences, both positive and undesired, of emerging technologies, including digital technologies. Many hopes have been placed on digital technologies when it comes to reversing the troubling paths of the Anthropocene, but there are also voices that warn of the bleaker dimension of the “digital Anthropocene”. With this in mind, engineering education should include the study and analysis of these topics, so that future engineers will be able to efficiently deal with the problems they encounter in the performance of their professional duties. It is necessary to promote a rapprochement between the new digital and environmental humanities and the technical qualifications, so that they can collaborate in the resolution of the problems of this new era.

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Author Biography

José Manuel de Cózar Escalante, Universidad de La Laguna

Departamento de Historia y Filosofía de la Ciencia, la Educación y el Lenguaje, Universidad de La Laguna, España. 

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Published

2019-06-28

How to Cite

de Cózar Escalante, J. M. (2019). Engineers of the Digital Anthropocene: Teaching Engineering in an Uncertain Era. Revista Iberoamericana De Ciencia, Tecnología Y Sociedad - CTS (Ibero-American Science, Technology and Society Journal), 14(41). Retrieved from https://ojs.revistacts.net/index.php/CTS/article/view/116

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 41 (2019)

Section

Dossier

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