<p>I'm just curious how they all view each other intellectually and everything.</p>
<p>Are you happy if I said yes. Don't pick a career or be influence by what other people think about it, it's your choice.</p>
<p>what a dumb question.</p>
<p>Well, let's say you get a PhD in string theory. #1 occupation? Computer programming for an engineering firm.</p>
<p>I guess these guys respect their bosses.</p>
<p>I'm not going to be influenced. It was a question out of curiosity.</p>
<p>It's not a "dumb" question either.</p>
<p>Interesting question imo.</p>
<p>Personally, I respect the guy who picks up my garbage every week. I respect the mail carrier who faithfully drops stuff in my box six days a week. I respect the researchers who created and tested my blood pressure medicine, the industrial engineers who built the machines to manufacture it, and the business people who manage the distribution and marketing. I respect anyone who does their job. Anyone -- even physicists and mathematicians -- who doesn't get that is an idiot and not worthy of respect.</p>
<p>That wasn't my question. I specified - intellectually.</p>
<p>From my experience, most mathematicians and physicists sometimes have an air of superiority or resentment against engineers. </p>
<p>Some feel that engineers only "plug and chug formulas" or "approximate" results and don't have the same understanding of the Math and Physics as they do. Not to mention there might be some resentment between the pay an engineer gets and a mathematician receives as well....</p>
<p>Honestly, I would tend to agree SOMEWHAT with that statement, although it's only probably an informal/formal argument. But, of course, engineers have to master concepts in order to correctly apply formulas and manipulate systems.</p>
<p>
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Honestly, I would tend to agree SOMEWHAT with that statement, although it's only probably an informal/formal argument. But, of course, engineers have to master concepts in order to correctly apply formulas and manipulate systems.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No one said their opinion was based on reality, so you don't have to agree with it.</p>
<p>mathematicians and physicists "discover" things. Engineers actually put it too use. I could understand their point of view about engineers approximating but nothing would get done on time if done their way.</p>
<p>The world needs some people to work in theoretical level and some work in practical level. The system won't work well if there are only scientists or only engineers.
People SHOULD respect both of them equally and they SHOULD respect each other equally. Very often it might not be the case in reality, but I don't care much since human nature does have a lot of flaws which result in wrong opinions, it's pointless to make our decisions mainly based on other people's opinions.</p>
<p>i think theres alot more dumb people in engineering than in
phys or math</p>
<p>well im just saying that considering most engineers arent anal retentive on numbers</p>
<p>
[quote]
From my experience, most mathematicians and physicists sometimes have an air of superiority or resentment against engineers.</p>
<p>Some feel that engineers only "plug and chug formulas" or "approximate" results and don't have the same understanding of the Math and Physics as they do. Not to mention there might be some resentment between the pay an engineer gets and a mathematician receives as well....
[/quote]
Are you accounting for education level as well? A PhD in math looks down on a PhD in engineering?</p>
<p>Mr Payne, I have not witnessed enough Ph.D Math/Engineering interaction to make a true assessment.</p>
<p>Its just that in most Upper Level Math classes the students find "Engineering Math" far inferior. </p>
<p>I do agree with what you guys have said--I feel that engineering bridges the gap between Mathematicians/Physicists and the real world. As my Physics friend says, "we discover the formulas and you guys find a way to use it."</p>
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That wasn't my question. I specified - intellectually.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, no, you didn't. You specified, "intellectually and everything."</p>
<p>I used to work for a small company where 3/4 of our software developers had PhDs in a variety of scientific fields. I did notice that the applied mathematicians had a little attitude about the "theory" mathematicians -- as in, "how does the the <blank> theory get our job done?" </blank></p>
<p>As is true in most areas of human endeavor, I imagine that there is some attitude on both sides of the fence.</p>
<p>Touche. I forgot about the and everything part.</p>
<p>Since there is somewhat of a fine line between Engineering/Physics, what's the difference in figuring out what major to choose? I've already ruled out Math. As of right now, I'm going for Civil Engineering.</p>
<p>At the academic level (I mean, PhD or post-doctoral level research), the line between so-called "engineering science" and applied math or physics is actually getting increasingly blurred. Many areas that were considered "pure math" a few years ago (like topology, Riemannian geometry, functional analysis, or algebraic group theory) are now being routinely used in advanced research in signal processing and control for example. On the other hand, research engineers working in nanotechnology or new materials increasingly rely on advanced physics. Engineering practioners who hold non-research positions in industry still fit however the stereotype of "plugging and chugging" formulas and tend to be looked down upon by most professional physicists or mathematicians.</p>
<p>How much harder is a Physics path compared to Engineering?</p>