On Embodiment Characteristic Of Engineering Knowledge From Phenomenological Point Of View

Under the guidance of positivism for a long time,the mainstream theory of knowledge regards engineering knowledge as the application of science and technology that independent of knowledge theory,which leads to people’s neglect and prejudice on engineering knowledge.The beginning of this century has witnessed Chinese and foreign scholars open up a new field of engineering philosophy research.The pluralistic point of view of three elements “science,technology,engineering” put forward by Chinese professor Li Bocong,has laid a theoretical framework and logical foundation for the development of Chinese engineering philosophy.As an important part of engineering philosophy,the theory of engineering knowledge has also taken lead by Chinese scholars in the research.Engineering,as a material and practical activity of construction by using human workshops,is in need of support by engineering knowledge in every link,from project decision-making to project operation,as well as the whole process of obsolescence.Engineering knowledge involves not only the application of scientific and technological knowledge,moreover,it must involve the comprehensive application of non-science subjects and technology factors such as society,economy,law,ethics,aesthetics,politics and so on.The operation of the engineering knowledge integrates them with the science and technology knowledge into a relatively independent form of knowledge.Therefore,the engineering knowledge must equip itself with the practical characteristics which it advocates,that is,an "embodied" character in a distinct sense.Based on the critique of the logical positivism and the representationist view of knowledge,the paper sets up the independent position of engineering knowledge under the framework of “science,technology and engineering” theory,from the standpoint of practical knowledge based on practical life.Referring to the discussion on embodied cognition of second generation cognitive science and Polanyi’s personalknowledge,this paper takes Martin Heidegger,Merleau-Ponty,Don Ihde,Dreyfus and others as the forerunners of body phenomenology study,establishing the basis for the theory of embodied knowledge and forms a phenomenological perspective for further study of engineering knowledge.In this view,the engineering knowledge field is defined as:knowledge about the structure,function and form of the existence of man-made objects(Know what)and how to build these objects(Know how),which will be involved in the whole process of engineering decision,design,implementation,evaluation,operation and obsolescence.According to this process of engineering activities,the paper further discusses the practical integrated operation of enineerging knowledge in every link of its concrete situation,and thus reveals the practicalness of engineering knowledge.