INGEGNERE. — The term i. is commonly derived from ingenium (in its late meaning of machine, especially a war machine), through the medieval form encegnerius, builder of machines.
In antiquity, the personality of the architect is difficult to distinguish from that of the i. On the other hand, the simplicity of the machines then in use, their applications, and their only slightly developed diversity, while detracting nothing from the ingenuity of their builders, offered them relatively limited and traditional means. It is therefore not surprising that, until the Renaissance, even amid grandiose and gigantic constructions, the figure of the builder received little prominence, remaining almost that of a master mason or master carpenter. He drew upon centuries-old experience, continually perfected, or upon secrets jealously guarded within the craft guilds. The i. acquired a leading importance and an entirely distinctive and specialized profile especially toward the end of the eighteenth century; thus arose the specializations of civil, industrial, railway, naval, aeronautical, mechanical, electrical, and agricultural engineering, etc., and the profession of the i. grew in importance every day in proportion to the multiplication of scientific discoveries and technical applications.
The profession of the
i. as it exists today requires solid preparation and, moreover, given the rapid progress of science, continuous updating—an indispensable requirement for personal success, also because of the considerable social implications of his work and the numerous complex human problems—moral, economic, financial, commercial, etc
that are intimately linked to the exercise of the profession itself.For the i. too, professional duties of propriety include strict honesty and uprightness in business, charity toward one’s neighbor, and not allowing himself to be so absorbed by concern for profit as to compromise his spiritual integrity.
The i. is often himself a scientist, having concentrated his research in a highly specialized field of applied science; but above all he is a technician who implements such applications, perfecting them as far as he can and inserting his work between capital and labor.
To the former he offers the possibility of greater profit; to the latter, that of less arduous work, more rapid execution, and a smaller number of workers. Technical improvement therefore has an enormous impact on social life, and the i., who is its immediate agent, has a task that must be one of peacemaking amid the hardships arising in connection with production and exchange.
As a leader of men, even when he is not an enterprise manager (v.), the i., by the very nature of his profession, has relations with a highly varied human world, which he cannot and must not neglect. At times these are relations of direct dependence; at other times contact occurs through intermediaries, such as workshop foremen, gang leaders, etc. In every case, it is important that
his technical and moral formation be such as to command respect spontaneously and win him the esteem, trust, and affection of his subordinates.
Technical preparation must enable him to issue work orders that are clear, precise, and carefully considered, so as not to impose wasted work on the laborer, which would seriously undermine his prestige. But it is not enough for the i. to be an expert and knowledgeable about machines; above all, he must know people, so as to proportion the work and treatment to each person’s abilities and character.