Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Civil Engineering

   After writing up the section on Defense, I was depressed by thinking about the failure of people to ever learn to work together and quit killing each other over petty ambition and senseless quarrels.  The World Wide War Project (http://www.worldwidewarproject.org/main.html), regardless of whether or not one ultimately agrees with the hypothesis presented by Dr. Kolkey, does tend to show us that things sometimes never change.  So, as a counterpoint to talking about destruction, I decided to go ahead and post the section on Civil Engineering to get past the negativity associated with Defense.

   Civil Engineering itself is intended to be the practical application side of Science.  To further clarify this distinction, think about the difference between science and technology.  If we are describing gravity and how forces act against each other to produce motion, this is science.  If we are saying that you can use water spilling over a waterwheel to power a grain mill, then this is technology.  In some cases, Science can be used to affect what is done in Civil Engineering.  In other cases, people may have an obvious and intuitive understanding what needs to be done without resorting to Science. 

   Some people may be wondering what point Civil Engineering is going to have in a post-industrial world (depending on what form our collapse takes).  Even if we enter an era which any trace of modern technology is gone, there will still be a need to know how to build simple shelters and other items such as bridges and irrigation networks.  In essence, as long as anyone is still using tools, Civil Engineering is still going to be of interest.

Basic Shelter Construction
Advanced Shelter Construction
Electical Theory
Internal Combustion Engine
Steam Engine
Printing Press, Paper and Ink Making
Metalsmithing
Timbering and Forest Management
Bridge Building and Related Works
Railroads
Boatbuilding (Power and Sail, Large and Small)
Power Generation (Including Hydroelectric)
Mining Techniques
Plumbing and Water Purification
Soap Making
Basic Auto Maintenance and Repair
Firebuilding
Sewing and Clothing Construction
Rocketry
Aviation
Demolitions and Construction Blasting

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