The profession of the engineer is the design and construction of machinery, equipment and structures.
It is one of the oldest professions, but until the 18th century it was difficult to distinguish it from that of the scientist, inventor or builder.
The history of technology and science was considered, for many centuries, to be a product of engineering and science (the development of theories explaining natural phenomena), often based on empirical evidence - which was the method used by the builders of machinery and structures. |