John Stuart Mill thought himself more indebted to Plato for his mental culture than to any other author. A study of his Gorgias translation and notes shows that arguments in On Liberty and Utilitarianism for individuality, freedom of discussion and the superiority of higher pleasures were probably shaped by that dialogue.

Bernard Lonergan’s account of the polymorphic character of consciousness provides a basis for distinguishing the common sense, scientific, artistic, and ethical elements present in engineering. These elements regard “the same real objects,” but do so from fundamentally different standpoints. In relating these standpoints to the underlying “procedures of the human mind,” Lonergan’s work provides a valuable tool for mapping both the unity and diversity of engineering.