The Battle of the Nerds

[Bill3000]

The epic debate shall rage on for a century as we discuss a question that is less lame than the traditional pirates vs. ninja debate.

Who is the superior academic: The mathematician, scientist, or engineer? What level of abstraction is superior?

 

[CartesianFart]

Is this somewhat like the "Intellectual" thread?

I have to say that i am the most superior "psuedo-but not so psuedo potsmokin-philosopher of all time!

Engineer due to they are more practical and usefull in their studies and work of art.

 

[thetrooper]

Mathematicians and and engineers are scientists; your poll is nonsense.

 

[Bill3000]

Is this somewhat like the "Intellectual" thread?

I have to say that i am the most superior "psuedo-but not so psuedo potsmokin-philosopher of all time!

Nope! Just a battle of professions! It has nothing to do with definitions or who is a certain profession listed here - just the best quantitative academic.

Mathematicians and and engineers are scientists; your poll is nonsense.

The jobs can certainly overlap, but they are not the same. Mathematics is the language of science, but not all math is used in science, and abstract math doesn't care about applications at all. Engineering is the application of scientific principles and is more selective than what is normally considered a scientist.

...though I guess I see what you mean by abstract arguable definitions here.

 

[CartesianFart]

Ok.But as thetrooper have said,aren't they all in the same category sometimes,depend on what project that they do?

Some of these option is way too general specific and can be misleading.

 

[Sparta]

Engineers.

Next question. (says the EE )

(Here's a random thought: engineers routinely use math and science in their discipline, whereas AFAIK scientists and mathematicians rarely delve too far into engineering as a core part of their professions. We engineers cannot, however, lay claim to any superstar "Finger-Lickin' Engineericians", so that may be a point against us. )

 

[Masquerouge]

Close call between the scientists and the mathematicians (engineers are just glorified mechanics ) but in the end scientists wear lab coats and get Nobel prizes.

 

[IglooDame]

Engineers.

Scientists and mathematicians are both lumped into the "scientist" category in Civ4, but engineers have a category all to themselves.

 

[Zarn]

Truth-seeker?

Philosophers are very learned and often seek truth (Theologians to a degree, too).

None of that 'physical only' stuff. That is boring.

 

[Bill3000]

Truth-seeker?

Philosophers are very learned and often seek truth (Theologians to a degree, too).

None of that 'physical only' stuff. That is boring.

I had originally decided on putting in philosophers, (thus "truth-seeker") but if I did that, I would have to place others as well. Theologians could be an example, but I'm quite sure there would be others as well as a result.

A better word would be "empirical academic", I guess - but that would only lead me to wonder what's the point of putting mathematician there.

Perhaps I should start a new poll?

Ok.But as thetrooper have said,aren't they all in the same category sometimes,depend on what project that they do?

Some of these option is way too general specific and can be misleading.

I was sort of thinking of the "An engineer, scientist, and mathematician walk into a bar" type of thing, to be honest.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

Mathematician! More provably right or wrong than any of the others. None of this "you have an agenda" crap.

 

[Fugitive Sisyphus]

Engineers. Engineers utilize what scientists and mathematicians come up with. And if something can't be utilized, it doesn't matter if it is true or not.

 

[Sparta]

Close call between the scientists and the mathematicians (engineers are just glorified mechanics ) but in the end scientists wear lab coats and get Nobel prizes.

Where is Steph?!?


... And so this "Nobel Prize" you speak of - it must be a particularly lauded accomplishment and therefore must be named after a very great man indeed. Nobel ...

Alfred Bernhard Nobel was a Swedish chemist, engineer, innovator, armaments manufacturer and the inventor of dynamite.

Hmm, so he was an early chemical engineer who invented dynamite. That does sound pretty impressive - I guess I can now understand why all these scientists and mathematicians work their whole lives in an effort to drape themselves in the comforting aura of an award named after an engineer.

(Oh and IglooDude, nicely done on putting the whole thing in civ terms - you make a persuasive argument. Now vote engineer though - we could use the support! Like any of you guys would rather have a GS than a GE anyway ...)

 

[Kozmos]

Engineers. They make things happen and work with touchable things. I am biased though.

 

[Paradigne]

Try to do 'science' or engineering without mathematices

 

[Fugitive Sisyphus]

Try to do 'science' or engineering without mathematices

Try to do mathematics without science or engineering.

 

[Mise]

Science

 

[pboily]

Engineers.

Next question. (says the EE )

(Here's a random thought: engineers routinely use math and science in their discipline, whereas AFAIK scientists and mathematicians rarely delve too far into engineering as a core part of their professions. We engineers cannot, however, lay claim to any superstar "Finger-Lickin' Engineericians", so that may be a point against us. )

Engineers don't use math in their profession, they call mathematicians to ask them to do the math for them...

just kidding, just kidding.

I mean, I'm not kidding about them calling us, but I'm kidding about implying they couldn't do it on their own. The rivalry between Mathematicians and Engineers is a bit like the rivalry between Milwaukee and Chicago: one way.

If I had to hazard a guess, I would put musicians/sculptors/painters ahead of mathematicians and engineers when it comes to truth-seeking.

 

[Swedishguy]

I failed in the nerd test, but all I have to say is this: Scientist.

 

[Phlegmak]

The poll is indeed bad, as thetrooper pointed out.

Mathematicians and engineers are scientists. I'm a programmer and I'm a scientist as well.