Lessons from the Tower of Babel

About Lessons from the Tower of Babel

Abstract

The Old Testament story of the tower of Babel (Genesis 11) is sometimes interpreted as a warning against human technological and organization achievement and therefore could contribute to an anti-technology bias. This interpretation is not very affirming to engineers or supportive of their engineering design activity. The implication could be drawn from this interpretation that Christians should not be investing a great deal of time and effort in technological accomplishments on a grand scale. While it may be true that over-reliance on technological achievements can detract from trust in God, it is questionable whether this is the primary lesson of the Babel story. This paper will describe some current usages of the Babel reference in both Christian and secular sources, and summarize the conclusions these usages reinforce. This paper will propose that the main lesson of the tower of Babel story is not to avoid generating new technology to collectively solve problems, enhance the quality of our lives, or achieve great things. Neither is it a justification for small-scale technologies. Rather, the point of the story is to ensure that the technology we design, whether small or large-scale, is pointed in the right direction. All technology must serve the right God, that is, reflect a correct understanding of who God is and how we are to relate to him and our fellow humans. This paper will examine several commentaries on Genesis in order to establish the meaning of the story for people living in the cultural context of the ancient Middle East. Other Biblical passages will be examined to provide additional guiding principles for interpretation of the Babel passage. The paper will then conclude by connecting the lessons of the story to engineering practice, both in the design process and in the engineering classroom.