Technological progress of tribology and its philosophical background

Abstract

Since the declaration of tribology remarkable progress has been achieved in its methodology, technique and scope, in particular, in quite new problems and treatments such as in high technology. It becomes possible to introduce tribological information at the first stage of engineering design in advance. On the other hand, this brings about unlimited centrifugal expansion of the scope of tribology, which results in difficulty in grasping a perspective view of it. This shows the importance of the philosophical consideration of tribology. Tribological phenomena in the natural world have existed before the genesis of life as in geological phenomena. Since the advent of human beings they have obtained great benefit from tribological phenomena such as in the manufacture of stone implements, firing by frictional heat etc. The industrial revolution changed the role of tribological phenomena from positive for human life to negative for industrial and economical purposes, as losses of energy and material as a result of the increasing activity of industry. The 25th anniversary of tribology seems the best opportunity to recover the synthetic ability of ancient people from the centripetal viewpoint of tribologists. The concept of tribology is quite universal and comprehensive beyond its original definition. It fills the gap between the idealized concept and actual phenomena.