Abstract
With the rapid advancement and widespread adoption of information technology, especially the Internet, Internet of Things,big data, and artificial intelligence, the integration of engineering activities across various domains has emerged as a prevailing trend.As a result, the concept of engineering ecology has gained increasing attention in the engineering field. Previous discussions andtheoretical frameworks on engineering ecology have primarily focused on a narrow ecological perspective, emphasizing theecological environment and sustainable development. However, in recent years, there has been a growing body of research that adoptsa broader ecological approach, encompassing organizational ecology, social ecology, political ecology, industrial ecology, innovationecology, and information ecology. This comprehensive understanding of ecology can be extended to the realm of engineeringphilosophy, providing new insights into engineering practice.This paper aims to explore the fundamental concept of engineering ecology and its underlying context, analyze the essential natureof engineering ecology, and examine the distinctions and relationships between engineering ecology, natural ecology, and engineeringsystems. Building upon this foundation, the paper proposes a research framework for engineering ecology. The author argues that theengineering practice is inherently an ecological event, and the success or failure of engineering practice is all due to ecology. It isimperative for engineering practitioners to situate, comprehend, and manage engineering within the ecological network. Thisapproach aligns with the methodological principle of considering problems holistically in engineering practice. By understandingengineering within an ecological framework and adhering to ecological principles, sustainable development of engineering can beachieved, benefiting humanity more effectively. In this context, engineering ecology becomes a new research subject withinengineering philosophy, enabling the examination of engineering phenomena on a larger scale. This research is anticipated to yield notonly fresh ecological perspectives but also a broader comprehension of engineering ontology.The exploration of engineering ecology signifies a departure from “local thinking” and “linear thinking” towards a more holistic“ecological thinking” approach. When considering engineering from an ecological perspective, there is a fundamental connection toTaoist philosophy. Engineering practice is essentially a process of creating something out of nothing. In this process, the intangiblecomes before the tangible, the invisible precedes the visible, the virtual precedes the real, and non-being precedes being. Ignoring thesignificance of the “virtual” “invisible” “intangible” and “nothingness” aspects would result in a lack of engineering and innovation.The concept of engineering ecology reminds us to value these elements, which represent the dialectical unity of the virtual and real,the intangible and tangible, the invisible and visible, and non-being and being. From this perspective, the process of engineeringpractice can be viewed as an “ecological process” from nothingness to substance, from virtuality to reality, and from invisibility tovisibility. In considering that many innovations emerge from engineering ecology rather than detailed planning, the concept ofengineering ecology also serves as a reminder that we should not only focus on inevitability and controllability but also acknowledgethe role of contingency and spontaneity in engineering practices. By fully understanding the methodological essentials of engineeringecology, we can promote the sustainable and healthy development of human engineering and ultimately benefit mankind.
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工程研究——跨学科视野中的工程 
2023年第05期 
