Conceptual Engineering

Designing is an essential aspect of engineering, architecture and other disciplines, including software development. The purpose of this project is (1) to draw attention to the fact that designing has a philosophical dimension of possible practical significance, and (2) to suggest, in awareness of this fact, an explicitly defined vocabulary in terms of which we may fruitfully discuss (2.1) designing in general, and (2.2) designing with computer support in particular. The ambition is thus to provide a philosophically plausible and coherent conceptual platform on which to base further thinking; a platform that may be used - ultimately - to develop better theories, tools and practices of designing. For such deliberate preparation of conceptual foundations for technological purposes, the term "Conceptual Engineering" is proposed. A research monograph / report is in preparation.