ONLINE FIRST
published on March 4, 2025
Diane Michelfelder

https://doi.org/10.5840/harvardreview202522459
From the Normal to Post-Normal Within Engineering
In a series of publications in the early 1990s, Silvio Funtowicz and Jerome Ravetz coined the phrase ¡°post-normal science¡± and set out its dimensions. Drawing on the framework of their efforts, the reflections assembled in this paper invite the reader to consider the contours of post-normal engineering. These reflections start with overviews of post-normal science and what could be called ¡°normal¡± engineering. From there, this paper first spells out a picture of features of post-normal engineering directly aligned with post-normal science before going on to look at other conceptual elements which, to some degree, break with this alignment. Together, these can be said to constitute the ¡°new face of post-normal engineering.¡± This discussion will serve as a lens through which to explore possible on-ramps philosophers may use to engage with engineers and others in an ¡°extended peer community.¡±