The Lonely Search for Truth

In engineering and in life, there is knowledge, information, and wisdom and each is independent of the other, but related. You can’t be wise without information and knowledge, but you can have information and knowledge and be foolish.

In my field of work, engineering, science and technology, the machines I design must function the way they were intended and either they do or they don’t. Truth and facts are of critical importance. I can’t talk a machine into functioning properly. And the force of gravity, or the laws of physics, are the same for everyone. Always.

In my specialty, there are technical books that were written over 100 years ago, and gearing in general has been around for thousands of years. I am amazed how much has changed and progressed over those years, but also how much that is fundamentally the same and that was known about it even back then.

Actor Dwayne Hickman (1934-2022) in the eponymous role of Doby Gillis sitting on a park bench in front of a reproduction of Auguste Rodin's statue The Thinker. The TV sitcom “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” during season 1, later shortened to “Dobie Gillis” aired on CBS from 1959-1963.

The arc of history is the continual accumulation of knowledge and information, but it’s an ongoing process. It’s a never-ending journey and we are constantly striving to get closer. There is such a thing as ultimate truth and knowledge, but that we never get there and never fully understand it. There is no such thing as “settled science.” With science, knowledge, truth and information are always evolving, being questioned, and in a continuous search with no end point. There are, however, some basic bedrock principles which are eternal and unchanging.

“All truth passes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

— Arthur Shopenhaur, German philosopher (1788-1860)

Curiosity motivates the acquisition of knowledge and learning

The first amendment to the US constitution recognizes our right to freedom of expression; free speech and prohibits the government from interfering with these rights. Common practice and understanding have expanded these rights to include other areas of private communication, and other private venues like Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). In many areas of life and subjects, even science and medicine, there are usually at least two or more differing viewpoints and approaches to the issue at hand. In the past, it was recognized that an open discussion of all sides of an issue was beneficial, allowed and preferred. This is not true today, unfortunately.

I have always believed in and tried to know and understand the principles and beliefs of both sides of any issue in which I am interested. This is the only way that I can develop a fully informed opinion on it. I try to know enough that I can intelligently discuss either side.

Some so-called experts on either side of an issue ignore the opposing view. This might be due to their usual way of thinking, a bias towards traditional views, or a conflict of interest. They might struggle to think differently.

There are those who don’t even believe in the concept of ultimate truth. Either they believe in moral relativism or situational ethics where truth depends on context and other things, and it is flexible. They believe that each person has their own “truth”; your truth vs. my truth, but no absolute truth exists that is the same for everyone.

To those people I say: if you jump off a building you will then understand the ultimate truth and reality of gravity.

Some people believe whatever an authority figure tells them to believe. Others follow the majority opinion and believe in whatever is popular. This is like what in the animal kingdom is called herding or following the herd. In humans, if one person has a different opinion or is different in any way, like appearance, from the herd, they stand out and can more easily be attacked. Often, they are singled out, ridiculed, ostracized, or discriminated against. This seems to be human nature and sadly has occurred throughout history. This starts wars.

In any field of endeavor or any belief system, there is usually an entrenched system of thought and way of doing things. Sometimes it is incorrect, and it can be improved upon or changed entirely, and a new one can take its place. This is the basis of all human progress and has been happening since time immemorial.

Steve Jobs and Elon Musk are two examples of this process and way of thinking. They both disrupted several entrenched industries and changed the world.

Curiosity is the main driver of this.

Humans inherently do not deal well with uncertainty. In fact, they intensely dislike it and deal with it in different ways. Some simply fill in the blanks and assume things (make them up) that may or may not be true. They are often wrong. Others do some research and try to learn the correct facts. Still others follow the crowd and assume popular thinking, without doing any thinking or discovery of their own.

Most often, people come to have a strong belief in a system and develop a bias for it or derive financial benefit from it which initiates a conflict of interest. It can become so entrenched that it is extremely difficult to change. This condition may last for many years or even decades. Hence, as Upton Sinclair famously said, “It’s difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

Many times, to move forward requires a new generation to be born that becomes familiar with the revised system.

In science this is known as Planck’s principle paraphrased as science progresses one funeral at a time when the old guard dies off and a new one takes its place. This happens in medicine, law, engineering and many other human endeavors.

The best way to resolve these conflicting priorities is to practice critical thinking using creativity, logic and being open to new ideas. It’s also about admitting that you could be wrong (humility), being introspective, using innovative thinking, and staying abreast with the latest technology.

Finding space for Martian problem-solving

Recently, my wife and I watched The Martian, Ridley Scott’s movie starring A-list actor Matt Damon. In this thrilling science fiction drama, NASA astronaut Mark Watney, portrayed by Damon, found himself stranded on Mars, completely alone and with no way to signal Earth 140 million miles away that he’s alive. Against insurmountable odds and with dwindling supplies, Watney refuses to be the first man to die on Mars.  

To survive, Watney draws upon his ingenuity, his incredible resourcefulness, his engineering and botany skills, and a dogged determination. He solves seemingly unsolvable problems one after the other in a masterful display of intelligence, wit and engineering prowess.

In the science fiction novel The Martian by Andy Weir, the lead character Watney is portrayed as having earned master’s degrees in botany and mechanical engineering, yet the movie reveals Watney as having a Ph.D in botany with no mention of an engineering degree.

Whether it be the movie or the novel, with a botany degree and/or a mechanical engineering degree, it’s clear that Watney is one thing – a master at solving problems.

When failure brought the surety of death, Watney solved problems. And on Mars, alone and left to his own devices for his very existence, he engineered his way to survive and ultimately be rescued.

As an engineer, I solve mechanical problems for a living. Sometimes the solutions are simple and obvious, but often times they are as mind-bending as trying to find ways to live on Mars.

I’d like to think I could engineer my way home from an unsustainable planet called Mars, but that’s the folly of science fiction. For now, I’ll keep unleashing my creativity as if my life depended on it from the safety of the planet I call home – Earth. 

Rick Miller is president / sole owner of Innovative Drive Solution LLC, an engineering consulting firm specializing in gears and power transmission devices.

Rick Miller issued latest patent for invention of a torque sharing drive and torque sharing process

Indianapolis, Indiana - Rick Miller announces the issuance to him by the U.S. Patent Office of a patent for a torque sharing drive and torque sharing process.

The patent is for invention No. 9,145,956 issued on September 29, 2015. Miller’s invention is intended to be used for the lifting and lowering of off-shore oil rig platforms.

The latest patent is the second of Miller’s inventions and a third patent is pending. The U.S. Patent Office issued Miller Patent No. 4549449 in 1985 for his original design of a gear reducer. This invention is a two-speed hydraulically shifted planetary speed reducer serving industries such as construction equipment, road building and general industrial.

Rick Miller is president and sole owner of Innovative Drive Solutions, LLC, and Indianapolis-based mechanical engineering design consulting firm. Miller has 40 years of experience in the gear industry, including 37 years with Oerlikon Fairfield Mfg. Co. in Lafayette, Indiana, the last 16 years as chief engineer. With more than 300 original designs, Miller helps clients in the United States and around the globe with his gear and gearbox design and analysis expertise, creativity and out-of-the-box problem solving abilities.

Miller earned a bachelor’s of science degree in mechanical engineering technology from Purdue University. He is a member of Society of Automotive Engineers International, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and vice-chairman of the Vehicle Gearing Committee of the American Gear Manufacturers Association.

Innovative Drive Solutions, LLC is proud member of the American Gear Manufacturers Association. To learn more, visit InnovativeDriveSolutions.com.

The Sharing Economy: Boats, Beds and Burials at Sea

Uber and Airbnb are examples of what has come to be known as the “Sharing Economy.” Uber doesn’t own a fleet of cars, but they operate a widely successful ride service using privately-owned cars driven by their owners. Airbnb does not own any hotels or bed and breakfasts; they use local hosts in 190+ countries who rent out their own rooms, apartments and homes. One source of their success is being able to quickly and efficiently connect those desiring their services with those able to provide these same services.

View fullsize

During a trip to Long Beach, California recently, I marveled at Captain Jonnie Lee’s entrepreneurial spirit. At night, Lee offers renters the opportunity to sleep on his yacht for a fee. By day, he uses the same watercraft for his burial at sea service. As an ordained minister, Lee can also be hired to perform marriages while sailing on his vessel. He’s cleverly found additional sources of income that would not have been captured.

Shared access to products or services is a not new concept.

A favorite and frequent destination of mine is the Volo Auto Museum located in Volo, Illinois - a suburb of Chicago.  As a lover of classic and muscle cars, I’ve long known about and admired Volo’s unique business model. Nearly all cars displayed are done so on consignment – the cars are owned by prospective sellers hoping to attract interested buyers who visit the museum. Volo charges the car owners a storage fee; collects an entrance fee to tour the museum and look at cars owned by others, and when a consigned car is sold the museum collects a 10 percent auction fee.  

In its favor, Volo’s business plan is based on getting others to bear/share many of the costs normally associated with owning and operating a traditional auto museum while capturing significant additional income in the process. It’s a brush stroke of business brilliance; shades of Tom Sawyer getting his friends to whitewash the fence for him.

The rise of social media platforms, Internet and alternate sources of information has enabled many industries and individuals to reinvent themselves, many times by connecting prospective buyers and sellers.  Recently I heard of a company that empowers its employees to be original and “blow sh!t up” by pushing beyond limits and do things in bigger, better and different ways. Many, if not most old line industries, are and will be subject to some level of disruption and innovation. If they don’t embrace it, their competitors will or already has.

The Dead tree media is another example. The newspaper industry is dying right before our eyes. Competition has arisen digitally online where the content is free and no subscription is required. As a result, traditional newspapers are either going digital themselves or ending publication.

Friction is being eliminated in the marketplace because information is easy and instantly accessible and removes the need for gate keepers and third party sources. Information asymmetry, where one party has more or better information than the other, creating an imbalance of power in transactions, is also being eliminated for the same reasons.

The on-demand or ‘gig’ economy provides labor flexibility. These ideas and others lead to what some are calling the “post ownership economy”.

Today an author can publish his or her own book for almost no cost and as low of a print quantity of one. And there are many options to fund a project’s start-up costs through crowd funding and crowd sourcing.  So an inventor is able to create or manufacture a product or provide a service using other people’s money.

Many items that used to require a large company to manufacture can be created with a 3D printer or other type of additive manufacturing device.

The heavily vertically integrated company of the past is or should be experiencing the effects of these changes in the capabilities available in the marketplace at all stages of the process. Those that are smart and successful will take advantage of these opportunities as they arise and embrace new technologies and new ways of thinking and doing business.  

As a consulting engineer, I’m often called in to help an organization navigate its future through engineered solutions. It takes a lot of creativity and staying abreast of novel ideas and new technologies which can be applied.

You may not aspire to have a yacht for rent with a unique business plan, but no matter the size, every organization can and should evolve and improve their methods of providing and selling their goods and services. How are you and your company using new technologies and finding new ways of doing business?