The Death of the Engineer
Can you explore the death of the artist or engineer specifically? I’m more talking about user experience here, that with a great product, people won’t even worry about the engineering behind it.
GPT:
Ah, I see what you're getting at. From a philosophical perspective, what you're describing aligns with the concept of "egoless programming" or the idea that great work in engineering, like in other forms of creation, often goes unnoticed by the user or consumer of the final product. The goal is to create something so seamless, intuitive, and efficient that it's nearly invisible in its perfection.
When we consider renowned artists, composers, or authors, it's often not the brush strokes, the individual notes, or the specific words that we remember or admire—it's the overall experience, the story, the feeling that the completed work gives us. The individual, their tools, and their process become "abstracted away" in the final product.
In a similar vein, great engineering—whether it's designing a bridge, a new material, or a piece of software—is about creating something that serves its purpose so effectively and efficiently that people who use it don't need to think about the complex processes and decisions that went into its creation. The engineer becomes "abstracted away" from their work.
This idea resonates in the famous quote by Steve Jobs:
"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."
Users appreciate a well-designed product without knowing the intricate engineering decisions that went into creating that seamless experience. And, as you've pointed out, this is a form of abstraction—the abstraction of the creator from the creation.
In this way, the engineer's or artist's "death" is not a literal end, but rather a separation or abstraction from their work. It's a sign of the mastery of their craft, and a testament to their ability to create something that stands on its own.
At the same time, this doesn't diminish the value or significance of the engineer or artist. Rather, it's a recognition of their ability to prioritize the user's experience and needs above their own visibility or recognition—an act of creative altruism, you could say. It's a profound level of impact that is both powerful and humble.
