Saint-Petersburg Mining University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia:

M. I. Mikeshin, Head of Department, Doctor of Philosophy, mikeshin_mi@pers.spmi.ru

This article is intended to initiate discussion on potential interaction between technoscience (geosciences, in particular) and philosophy of science. The author reviews ideas of such interaction which are of interest to the world scientific community at this time and raise debates in the top business magazines in the world. Scientists and engineers fill inclination to appeal to philosophy when muse on: the way ideology influences an industry, economy and business; self-control and censorship in professional relationship between people; efficiency of thinking and brainwork management toward serene reasoning and understanding of different opinions and arguments of partners and public; development of soft skills, including communication and cooperation skills, problem-solving, conflict resolution, respect for different cultures and philosophies, pliable perception and thinking; combating myths, i.e. pictorial and convincing descriptions of the world or its parts without any scientific grounding; how to interact with the public and non-professionals, to sustain tension and assert expert solutions through social interfaces created in industries; how to assess the importance and effectiveness of achieving both short-term and longterm goal objectives; on how to adjust oneself in cultural, historical, mythological, religious and other local and global contexts; how research and engineering activities affect large-scale human behavior, satisfaction of people needs and the very understanding of what is human and what is engineering. The article emphasizes the lack of a clear discussion of the concept underlain the Soviet period idea of a new society, meanwhile the idea was and is the backbone of vision and foresight of engineers educated in the Soviet and post-Soviet times. The customary positivistic attitude of professionals to their activities, upon a closer view, discloses the whole entwinement of various ideas and concepts.

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