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Accomplish Quote by Henry Petroski

“It has been said, by engineers themselves, that given enough money, they can accomplish virtually anything: send men to the moon, dig a tunnel under the English Channel. There's no reason they couldn't likewise devise ways to protect infrastructure from the worst hurricanes, earthquakes and other…” quote by Henry Petroski
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“It has been said, by engineers themselves, that given enough money, they can accomplish virtually anything: send men to the moon, dig a tunnel under the English Channel. There's no reason they couldn't likewise devise ways to protect infrastructure from the worst hurricanes, earthquakes and other calamities, natural and manmade.”

Henry Petroski

About This Quote

Source Book: "To Engineer Is Human" by Henry Petroski, 1985

Engineers can solve massive challenges with sufficient resources, implying that with enough funding, they could also protect against natural and man‑made disasters.

In simple terms: Money enables engineering feats.

Key Takeaway

Invest in resilient infrastructure.

Themes

engineering innovation resource allocation disaster mitigation technology

Mood

analytical optimistic

Type

technical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • urban planning
  • emergency preparedness
  • infrastructure upgrades
  • climate adaptation

Key Concepts

systems engineering risk management public policy

Questions to Reflect On

  • What barriers exist beyond money?
  • How can societies prioritize resilient design?
A Different Perspective

Funding alone cannot guarantee political will or timely action.

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