Is surveying art or science? What is your opinion?
Is surveying an art or a science? That is a question worthy of consideration, because our profession certainly has facets of both. Some elements of surveying are technology based, making it a science, and some are related to history, law, evidence and interpretation, making it an art. The tools we use in surveying undeniably have advanced in recent years, making it easier to measure very accurately. Has all of this exciting technology made us more about the science and less about the art of surveying? Certainly, the art of surveying is more than rendering a point cloud into an image; there is also evidence and interpretation, which are more art than science. There is a lot of discussion among educators about the need to promote STEM (science technology, engineering and…