galactic_hedgehog
Procrastinating, Python-quoting, Blue Blazer-drinking, chocolate-chip cookie-eating, Pastafarian, Not So
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 17,915
Mind Ninja
|
 |
« Reply #75 on: December 29, 2008, 12:37:40 PM » |
|
I stick by my answer, as it was much less boring.
Factual information isn't boring. That is why we are academics--we like it. Ah, but is it useful? One winter day, I went out to lunch with the seminar speaker with some others from my department. As we walked out into a mild winter storm, she asked a colleague, "Which one's your car?" Before he could answer, I replied, "It's the one covered with snow." The speaker turned to me and said, "You must be a physicist. What you said is absolutely true but of no use whatsoever." How odd. And what was the discipline of the speaker? Same as me, geophysics. I'm pretty sure her background was in physics, too. IIRC, she did say it with humour*. *She is British, so this would be the correct spelling. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"A pun is primâ facie an insult to the person you are talking with. It implies utter indifference to or sublime contempt for his remarks, no matter how serious." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Hedgie loves to read. |
|
|
dismalist
Hardly a
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 1,438
Often wrong, never in doubt.
|
|
« Reply #76 on: December 29, 2008, 02:03:11 PM » |
|
I stick by my answer, as it was much less boring.
Factual information isn't boring. That is why we are academics--we like it. Ah, but is it useful? One winter day, I went out to lunch with the seminar speaker with some others from my department. As we walked out into a mild winter storm, she asked a colleague, "Which one's your car?" Before he could answer, I replied, "It's the one covered with snow." The speaker turned to me and said, "You must be a physicist. What you said is absolutely true but of no use whatsoever." How odd. And what was the discipline of the speaker? Same as me, geophysics. I'm pretty sure her background was in physics, too. IIRC, she did say it with humour*. *She is British, so this would be the correct spelling. That was meant with humo r, guaranteed! [I was seriously worried for a minute.] |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
We have met the enemy, and they is us.
--Pogo
|
|
|
minnesotan
Still just a
Member
Posts: 249
|
|
« Reply #77 on: December 30, 2008, 03:43:21 PM » |
|
I stick by my answer, as it was much less boring.
Factual information isn't boring. That is why we are academics--we like it. Ah, but is it useful? One winter day, I went out to lunch with the seminar speaker with some others from my department. As we walked out into a mild winter storm, she asked a colleague, "Which one's your car?" Before he could answer, I replied, "It's the one covered with snow." The speaker turned to me and said, "You must be a physicist. What you said is absolutely true but of no use whatsoever." How odd. And what was the discipline of the speaker? Same as me, geophysics. I'm pretty sure her background was in physics, too. IIRC, she did say it with humour*. *She is British, so this would be the correct spelling. That was meant with humo r, guaranteed! [I was seriously worried for a minute.]
Right. Facts are only useful if they can inform broader concepts and help dispel myths. Or on quiz night at the pub. ;) |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
polly_mer
|
|
« Reply #78 on: December 30, 2008, 06:55:08 PM » |
|
Right. Facts are only useful if they can inform broader concepts and help dispel myths. Or on quiz night at the pub. ;)
As a lawyer friend once told me: If the evidence supports your case, argue the facts. If they don't, argue procedure. For the record and to keep on topic for the thread, engineering is at the top of the discipline rankings. Our physical scientist friends, who rank just a little lower, determine the facts and then we use them to change people's experience of the world through technology. Everyone else is allowed to hang around for sheer amusement value. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
You can never know everything, and part of what you do know will always be wrong. Perhaps even the most important part. A portion of wisdom lies in knowing this. A portion of courage lies in going on anyway.
--Robert Jordan
|
|
|
|
european
|
|
« Reply #79 on: December 30, 2008, 07:15:48 PM » |
|
The humanities and the social sciences, on the other hand, are around to prevent engineering and physical sciences from using their fancy tools to obliterate a large percentage of mankind.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
dismalist
Hardly a
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 1,438
Often wrong, never in doubt.
|
|
« Reply #80 on: December 30, 2008, 07:29:02 PM » |
|
The humanities and the social sciences, on the other hand, are around to prevent engineering and physical sciences from using their fancy tools to obliterate a large percentage of mankind.
No, the social sciences, and now the humanities, are around to invent social problems. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
We have met the enemy, and they is us.
--Pogo
|
|
|
born2late
I often times wish I had bought Grandpa's farm and stayed on the land. Instead I'm an underemployed
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 3,029
Often referred to as an "interesting individual"
|
|
« Reply #81 on: December 30, 2008, 07:38:29 PM » |
|
Most of the good sci-fi seems to be wrapped around the idea of building a time machine, which science has yet to create. Performing and hearing historical music is the closest thing I know to actually going back in time.
That and putting instant coffee in a microwave.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"nothing says headed towards the margins of society like learning the banjo"
Quando omni flunkus moritati
|
|
|
|
polly_mer
|
|
« Reply #82 on: December 30, 2008, 08:12:45 PM » |
|
The humanities and the social sciences, on the other hand, are around to prevent engineering and physical sciences from using their fancy tools to obliterate a large percentage of mankind.
Yes, water delivered right to the house, electricity at the flick of a switch, medicine to prevent horrible diseases, communication anywhere in the world, and an ease of living achievable by a substantial fraction of the world that was unimaginable only a hundred years ago for even the very rich are terrible, terrible scourges on the earth. I apologize on behalf of all engineers everywhere and remind you that you are free to give up any or all of these things at any time. As a personal note, I have worked in areas of technology relevant to the "obliterating a large percentage of mankind" reference. It's not the people with engineering training who have their fingers on the button and are just itching to blow up the bad guys. It's not the people with engineering training who are standing in the way of modifying the current technological tools to alter the environmental impact. You might want to check to see what those humanities and social scientists are teaching that influence some of the decisions made in the government. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
You can never know everything, and part of what you do know will always be wrong. Perhaps even the most important part. A portion of wisdom lies in knowing this. A portion of courage lies in going on anyway.
--Robert Jordan
|
|
|
|
european
|
|
« Reply #83 on: December 31, 2008, 05:50:13 AM » |
|
Did this suddenly turn into a serious thread?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
polly_mer
|
|
« Reply #84 on: December 31, 2008, 11:33:39 AM » |
|
Did this suddenly turn into a serious thread?
Who, me? Nope, I just hit the wrong button on the control panel there for a moment. Shall we gang up on those unsuspecting historians who are unjustly trying to claim the title of queen? Engineers are also opportunists, ready to take advantage of any tool at hand. That's why we are at the top of the heap. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
You can never know everything, and part of what you do know will always be wrong. Perhaps even the most important part. A portion of wisdom lies in knowing this. A portion of courage lies in going on anyway.
--Robert Jordan
|
|
|
|
sciencephd
|
|
« Reply #85 on: December 31, 2008, 11:57:20 AM » |
|
Engineers are also opportunists, ready to take advantage of any tool at hand. That's why we are at the top of the heap.
In the real world engineers are opportunists and take advantage of useful tools. In academia, engineers spend alot of time inventing useless tools that nobody can use, and wouldn't want to if they could. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
I just hate it that I constantly have to like everyone and everything. -- moonstone
O, what a hateful feminist concoction!
Jews, communists, "lesbians", feminists and marihuana addicts --Pyshnov
|
|
|
|
polly_mer
|
|
« Reply #86 on: December 31, 2008, 12:11:07 PM » |
|
Engineers are also opportunists, ready to take advantage of any tool at hand. That's why we are at the top of the heap.
In the real world engineers are opportunists and take advantage of useful tools. In academia, engineers spend alot of time inventing useless tools that nobody can use, and wouldn't want to if they could. I just spent four years in the real world. I'm currently quite adept at opportunistic tool stealing, thank you. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
You can never know everything, and part of what you do know will always be wrong. Perhaps even the most important part. A portion of wisdom lies in knowing this. A portion of courage lies in going on anyway.
--Robert Jordan
|
|
|
|
european
|
|
« Reply #87 on: January 01, 2009, 07:48:01 AM » |
|
So are chimps.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
polly_mer
|
|
« Reply #88 on: January 01, 2009, 11:37:35 AM » |
|
So are chimps.
Even more evidence to use against those who deny our shared primate heritage. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
You can never know everything, and part of what you do know will always be wrong. Perhaps even the most important part. A portion of wisdom lies in knowing this. A portion of courage lies in going on anyway.
--Robert Jordan
|
|
|
|
