The Role of Humanities in the Education of Bionic Architecture

Knowledge of humanities in the thinking and practice of engineering nowadays is necessary because of the ambiguities of modern technology in terms of its use in development and its consequences for the future of human beings. The intent of Bionic Architecture, as a master’s program, should not be simply considered positive, ignoring the associated ethical and humane criticisms. This study is conducted on two levels, i.e., philosophy of technology and ethics of technology. Regarding the philosophy of technology, biotechnologies are explained epistemologically and ontologically. Regarding the ethics of technology, social ethics and environmental ethics are discussed. Then, the syllabus of the course Philosophy of Art is compared with that of similar courses in other engineering curricula in Iran as well as in the United States. The main finding of this research is that although presently the course of Islamic Wisdom is included in the Bionic Architecture program, it is not sufficient. Training for critical thinking as well as for ethical values instead of the mere description of modern technology must be placed at the core of the curriculum to give depth to students’ thinking and bring about ethical and value development in architectural technology.