The Emperor's New Clothes.
Post date: Jan 21, 2017 5:50:02 PM
The Emperor's New Clothes is one of my favorite tales. I think that this story illustrates quite well the problem of the "invention of the truth" that affects communities under certain conditions.As engineers, we are quite sure that the methods that we apply to make our designs are based on sound scientific principles, and this is what justifies the existence of our profession.
Today, I was reading the article The Role of the Standards in The Invention of the Truth, which call into question the rigor of the principles prescribed by some standards.
That makes me think that there is a good reason for us to acquire a solid knowledge in mathematics, physics, etc. and, only after that, use the standard prescriptions while retaining a critical spirit. As Richard P. Feynman explains in its Cargo Cult Science article, is not always easy to say that the emperor wears no clothes.