Are you a scientist?

[oldbadger]

Everybody here sees posts about or involving 'science'. For some the word 'scientist' is very important to them. Others have less respect for the word.

What I want to know is this... What folks here would call themself a scientist rather than just give a job, work or study title?

I don't think there is a job that cannot also claim to be a science.

But what do you all think?

 

[Gargovic Malkav]

Since this is in the joke section, I'd like to say scientists are wrong about gravity.
Gravity isn't real, because if gravity was real, all the planets and stars would fall down!

 

[exchemist]

Everybody here sees posts about or involving 'science'. For some the word 'scientist' is very important to them. Others have less respect for the word.

What I want to know is this... What folks here would call themself a scientist rather than just give a job, work or study title?

I don't think there is a job that cannot also claim to be a science.

But what do you all think?

I would. Even though I am now retired.

It is what I have been interested in since childhood, it is what I studied for my A levels, it is what I got my degree in, it is something I have used throughout my working life in a variety of ways, and it has informed my view of the world ever since my teens.

I do not think a job is a science. Some jobs use, or can use, science.

 

[sayak83]

Everybody here sees posts about or involving 'science'. For some the word 'scientist' is very important to them. Others have less respect for the word.

What I want to know is this... What folks here would call themself a scientist rather than just give a job, work or study title?

I don't think there is a job that cannot also claim to be a science.

But what do you all think?

I am a scientist. I actually do research and publish papers.

 

[oldbadger]

I would. Even though I am now retired.

It is what I have been interested in since childhood, it is what I studied for my A levels, it is what I got my degree in, it is something I have used throughout my working life in a variety of ways, and it has informed my view of the world ever since my teens.

I do not think a job is a science. Some jobs use, or can use, science.

Ah!
That's a new angle, right there.
So a scientist who has left their science discipline will be a scientist for all time, even if the world has come awash with new knowledge, technology, etc.
That's cool, and thanks for your input.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Everybody here sees posts about or involving 'science'. For some the word 'scientist' is very important to them. Others have less respect for the word.

What I want to know is this... What folks here would call themself a scientist rather than just give a job, work or study title?

I don't think there is a job that cannot also claim to be a science.

But what do you all think?

I'm not a scientist.

 

[oldbadger]

I am a scientist. I actually do research and publish papers.

Excellent!
Can you give us more, please?
Can you tell what you research and where do you publish?

Another question....... how do you react if a person tells you that they are a scientist?

 

[oldbadger]

I'm not a scientist.

Well.... obviously.... them Ozzie's, still chucking boomerangs about an' stuff.
Wow! There it is, right there. An aboriginal person who has used the boomerang and the atl-atl all their days, although that is a massively deep skill it is still a science ......
....or not?

 

[Altfish]

Since this is in the joke section, I'd like to say scientists are wrong about gravity.
Gravity isn't real, because if gravity was real, all the planets and stars would fall down!

Intelligent Falling explains gravity

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Well.... obviously.... them Ozzie's, still chucking boomerangs about an' stuff.
Wow! There it is, right there. An aboriginal person who has used the boomerang and the atl-atl all their days, although that is a massively deep skill it is still a science ......
....or not?

The dude who invented it? Well...maybe. No-one is quite sure how it was invented, but the majority of boomerangs were non-returning. In working out how to make hunting sticks throw straight and true, you learn a bit about what makes them curve.

Applying that lets you make a fun little toy that comes back to you.

That's kinda scientific. But we're kinda guessing about how it was invented.

 

[Stevicus]

 

[sayak83]

Excellent!
Can you give us more, please?
Can you tell what you research and where do you publish?

Another question....... how do you react if a person tells you that they are a scientist?

Thermodynamics, Energy, Combustion, Alternative Fuels. I am a professor in India. I have published in Comb and Flame, Journal of Energy Institute, Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Langmuir, Fuel, Energy Science and Technology etc. journals.

He or she should have at least Master degree in STEM. He should have active in RnD in some fashion or should be teaching science in some capacity.

 

[exchemist]

Ah!
That's a new angle, right there.
So a scientist who has left their science discipline will be a scientist for all time, even if the world has come awash with new knowledge, technology, etc.
That's cool, and thanks for your input.

Yes. The vast bulk of the knowledge learnt, and the approach to the world that learning it inculcates, is long-lasting and does not date, particularly. New findings get added on top, of course and sometimes a theory is replaced entirely, though rarely.

Some people adopt a far narrower definition, namely that to be called a scientist you have to be currently working in research or science teaching. But this seems rather unreasonable to me, pace @sayak83's remarks.

I suppose he and I are considering the terms in different senses, though: science as a profession and science as a trained way of seeing the world.

 

[ChristineM]

Since this is in the joke section, I'd like to say scientists are wrong about gravity.
Gravity isn't real, because if gravity was real, all the planets and stars would fall down!

I can prove gravity works by simply dropping a spoon, i seem to test it regularly in fact, just thus morning i discovered (again) that plates and gravity are not good for the plate.

 

[ChristineM]

Everybody here sees posts about or involving 'science'. For some the word 'scientist' is very important to them. Others have less respect for the word.

What I want to know is this... What folks here would call themself a scientist rather than just give a job, work or study title?

I don't think there is a job that cannot also claim to be a science.

But what do you all think?

I was an artist who did sciency things using scientific tools to do my work. But i don't think being an artist counts as being a scientist.

 

[Polymath257]

I am not a scientist. I have done the PhD qualifying exams in physics, so I know a fair amount of science. But I do not do research and have never done research in any science.

I am, however, a mathematician. I teach and do research in math.

 

[ChristineM]

I am not a scientist. I have done the PhD qualifying exams in physics, so I know a fair amount of science. But I do not do research and have never done research in any science.

I am, however, a mathematician. I teach and do research in math.

And perhaps even teach budding scientists

 

[Heyo]

I can prove gravity works by simply dropping a spoon, i seem to test it regularly in fact, just thus morning i discovered (again) that plates and gravity are not good for the plate.

That's good science. Results have to be repeatable.

 

[ChristineM]

That's good science. Results have to be repeatable.

Oh they are, and any peer can review the experiment and get the same results

 

[Heyo]

Everybody here sees posts about or involving 'science'. For some the word 'scientist' is very important to them. Others have less respect for the word.

What I want to know is this... What folks here would call themself a scientist rather than just give a job, work or study title?

I don't think there is a job that cannot also claim to be a science.

But what do you all think?

I'm not a scientist.
I have studied Computer Science but I never published research on the topic. (And CS is more maths and/or engineering than natural science, anyway.)
So, not a scientist by trade.

I am a science fan.
I believe the axioms of science to be true. I'm interested to learn about findings in the sciences and I try to inform people about science when they lack understanding.