it's author, henry petroski, fell us what is the reasoning behind the subtitle, why science alone willnot solve our global problems? >> well, we hear a lot about the global problems, climate change and so forth. we also hear a lot about the importance of what science will do to help alleviate or out right solve them. the history of science and technology teaches us differently. science and scientists generally do not solve problems. they help, but engineers are the problem solvers. engineers and problem solving are really hand in glove. >> in your book, you define the difference between scientist and engineers and how they work together. tell us a little bit more about that. >> well, scientists generally want to understand the world that's given to us. the universe if you will, the classic scientists studies the planets and stars, and wants to know the origin of the universe, and so forth. assembly knowledge really. getting to the bottom of things. but engineers on the other hand, they want to change the world. they want to introduce new things, new machines, new devices, things that r

we been talking with henry petroski, the author of "the essential engineer: why science alone will not solve our global problems." >> next pulitzer prize-winning historian joseph ellis recounts the 1200 letters that john and abigail adams exchange throughout their over 50 year marriage. the letters provide an understanding of the adams' personal relationship as well as an extended discourse on the politics of their time. joseph ellis discusses his book at politics and prose bookstore in washington, d.c.. the program is just over 45 minutes. >> i'm not going to read to you -- i'm going to read a few passages, but i'll talk like 25 minutes and have questions. everybody is busy, got compensated lives, and then we will do a signing and get out of here. this was the most enjoyable book i have ever written to right. i had fun is not the right word, but fulfillment and trying to write this book in a way that hadn't been true for the other eight before it ate, that sounds like a lot, and i think it's partly because i've never written a love story before. and it is a love story. and it's a love

. >> we've been talking with henry petroski, the author of the essential engineer, why science alone will not solve our global problems. >> every weekend, book tv brings you 48 hours of history, biography, and public affairs. here's a portion of one of our programs. >> i'm a child of civilization. i was born at a time when large numbers of african countries had just gotten their independence or were getting their independence or were independent for awhile, and that entailed in africa in the context i was born in and later i found out there were places in asia there were coos that took over in power very quickly, and people in -- i don't want to use the word class because we had in africa the level we could call ourselves class, but clans, groups of people were prosecuted or prosecuting others, and those of us felt prosecuted by those in power we left our origin and went elsewhere. that was easy to do, and that means i had lived or born into globalization without even realizing that that was in a globalizing world. when i hear people use the word multiculture, i think back of my scho

sense and no -- "the essential engineer: why science alone will not solve ou global problems" henry petroski, welcome and tell us what is the reasoning behind the subtitle, why science alone will not solve our global problems? >> we hear a lot about the global problems climate change and we also hear a lot about the importance of what science will do to help alleviate these problems or out rights all them. the history of science and technology teaches us that science and scientists generally do not solve problems, they help but engineers of the problem solvers. engineers and problem solving are really hand and glove. >> in your book you define the difference between scientists and engineers and how they were together, tell us about that. >> scientists generally want to understand the world given to us, the universe, classic sign to study the planets and stars and the origin of the universe. assembling knowledge really, getting to the bottom of things but engineers, on the other hand, want to change of world and introduce new things coming new machines and devices, things that contribute to o

it's author joins me, henry petroski. tell us, what is the reasoning behind the subtitle here, why science alone will not solve our global problems. >> well, we hear a lot about the global problems, climate change and so forth, and we hear what science can do to alleviate the problems or outright solve them. the history of science and technology teaches us differently that science and scientists don't solve problems. they help, but engineers are the problem solvers. engineers and problem solving are hand in glove. >> you define the difference between scientists and engineers and how they work together. tell us more about that. >> well, science is who understands the world that's begin to us. the universe, the scientists studies the planets and stars and origins. assembly knowledge, really, getting to the baht m of things -- baht m -- bottom of things. they want to contribute to the civil decision and our comfort. sin tieses and engineers get together in research and development, r and d that we hear a lout about. the engi

sense and no -- "the essential engineer: why science alone will not solve ou global problems" henry petroski, welcome and tell us what is the reasoning behind the subtitle, why science alone will not solve our global problems? >> we hear a lot about the global problems climate change and we also hear a lot about the importance of what science will do to help alleviate these problems or out rights all them. the history of science and technology teaches us that science and scientists generally do not solve problems, they help but engineers of the problem solvers. engineers and problem solving are really hand and glove. >> in your book you define the difference between scientists and engineers and how they were together, tell us about that. >> scientists generally want to understand the world given to us, the universe, classic sign to study the planets and stars and the origin of the universe. assembling knowledge really, getting to the bottom of things but engineers, on the other hand, want to change of world and introduce new things coming new machines and devices, things that contribute to o

it's author joins me henry petroski. welcome, sir, what's the reasonabling behind the subtitle. why science alone will not solve our global problems? >> we hear a lot about the global problems, climate change and so forth. we also hear a lot about the science will do to help alleviate or solve them. the history of science and technology teaches us differently. science and scientists generally do not solve problems. engineers are the problem solvers. engineers and prove solving are hand and glove. >> host: in your book, you define the difference between scientists and engineers and how they work together. tell us more about that. >> guest: well, scientists want to understand the world, the universe, the classic scientists studies the planets, stars, wants to know the origin of the universe. getting to the b. things. engineers on the other hand want to change the world. they want to produce new things, new devices, things that really contribute to our civilization and our comfort. scientists and engineers get together in what's called research and development, r&d. again, the scie