What is your science field?

[chitrangda]

well i'm eager to known who overpowers whom?

[mrburns2012]

You're missing quite a few options. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fields_of_science for suggestions.

Or at least have an option for "other."

[insane_alien]

Come on chemistry! WOO!(or should i say tungsten dioxide?)

[CaptainPanic]

I'm never sure whether I know more about physics or chemistry. Chemical engineers kinda need both.

 

And because this thread will be a giant complaint that there aren't enough options, allow me to say that "Engineering" should have been an option.

[insane_alien]

yeah, chemical engineering in particular gotta love it.

[ajb]

I am somewhere between mathematics and physics.

[ChemSiddiqui]

Chemistry.... yeh!

[DrDNA]

How come no Life Sciences nor Social Sciences?

[CaptainPanic]

How come no Life Sciences nor Social Sciences?

 

Because Social Science is as much science as economy? (I.e. educated guessing)?

 

*hides behind his maths professor*

[DrDNA]

Sociologists and Psychologists stole money from my 401K too?

Are they getting any bail out money like the rest of the crooks?

Edited February 11, 2009 by DrDNA

[npts2020]

Sociologists and Psychologists stole money from my 401K too?

Are they getting any bail out money like the rest of the crooks?

 

Mathematicians too, aren't they the ones who were hired by Wall Street to set up a Ponzi scam, I mean derivative market?

[ajb]

Mathematicians too, aren't they the ones who were hired by Wall Street to set up a Ponzi scam, I mean derivative market?

 

Nope, it is up to the bankers to listen to what the financial mathematicians' models predict and make informed decisions form there. If they chose to ignore or act upon this advice are the mathematicians to blame?

[npts2020]

Nope, it is up to the bankers to listen to what the financial mathematicians' models predict and make informed decisions form there. If they chose to ignore or act upon this advice are the mathematicians to blame?

 

Depends if you want to blame those culpable or just blame someone, eh?

[padren]

Nope, it is up to the bankers to listen to what the financial mathematicians' models predict and make informed decisions form there. If they chose to ignore or act upon this advice are the mathematicians to blame?

 

I think everyone has some degree of responsibility for their actions to ensure their contributions to society are in line with their values. To be completely ignorant (by reasons other than sheer denial/negligence) is one thing but the side effects of your actions exist either way.

 

Of course there is a big difference between "to blame" and "legally culpable" but it's still worth noting who's to blame even if they are not legally culpable for how their models are used.

[DrDNA]

Nope, it is up to the bankers to listen to what the financial mathematicians' models predict and make informed decisions form there. If they chose to ignore or act upon this advice are the mathematicians to blame?

 

This is a good point I believe.

Does anyone know for sure what kind of advice the mathematicians were giving the bankers....if it was accurate and just not followed, off the mark and followed, etc........?

 

I think that it's important to know this in order to decide who to, and who not to stone in the public square.

[ajb]

At the risk hijacking this thread, take a look at this article in plus magazine.

[padren]

This is a good point I believe.

Does anyone know for sure what kind of advice the mathematicians were giving the bankers....if it was accurate and just not followed, off the mark and followed, etc........?

 

I think that it's important to know this in order to decide who to, and who not to stone in the public square.

 

That's true, but I think that doesn't entirely washes the mathematicians hands clean if they knew the models were being abused despite their advice and continued to provide models to be abused.

 

That would be like selling Roofies through a legal loophole and saying "but make sure you never give it to someone without their consent wink wink" and ignoring all the news about the timely epidemic of cases of women getting drugged and raped in the area.

[Mokele]

I've edited the poll to add "Biology" and "other"

 

I'm definitely biology, though my field overlaps strongly with physics - I study the mechanics of animal locomotion, in terms of forces, power, stability, etc.

[devrimci_kürt]

I am somewhere between mathematics and physics.

I share the same opinion

[Ladeira]

Chem, but it will probably be turned to Biology or Computer in the future

[DrDNA]

Because Social Science is as much science as economy? (I.e. educated guessing)?

 

I believe that the closely related fields of 'Archeology' and 'Anthropology', which are studies involving 'dead people' and "them" (as in people besides "us"), respectively, are often considered in the realm of "social sciences".

 

Also, my brother, who is very agile and also quite strong for his small frame, is a 'rock scientist', which should not be confused with a 'rocket scientist'.

 

His wife, my sister in law, is an 'Anthropologist' and considered to be well respected in her field.

 

Since he is quick to anger and slow to forgive, I will not show my brother your comments, nor will I point out the error in neglecting his own scientific field of endeavor.

Edited February 13, 2009 by DrDNA

[CaptainPanic]

Hey! You bunch of cheaters!

 

When I voted, there were only 4 options. Now there are 6! I demand to have my vote back! (I cannot vote again).

 

I vote other: please specify and also chemistry... the result is chemical engineering.

 

*mutters something about democracy*

[DrDNA]

Hey! You bunch of cheaters!

 

When I voted, there were only 4 options. Now there are 6! I demand to have my vote back! (I cannot vote again).

 

I vote other: please specify and also chemistry... the result is chemical engineering.

 

*mutters something about democracy*

To be accurate, there is no evidence that there are a "bunch cheaters" here.

There is only evidence of one POSSIBLE cheater; the person responsible for changing the poll.

It may have been an honest oversight.

 

But, to be perfectly honest, we have do have at least 1 cheater and one possible cheater here: the poll changer and myself.

 

You see Cap , I am a habitual cheater....and a liar and a scoundrel as well, but that is a long story and completely OT.

So we do not have a "bunch of cheaters". We either have a couple of cheaters, one cheater and one possible cheater, or just one cheater and one over-sight-type person. There may be more, but there is no evidence for this.

This is simple math and logic. I am a scientist and highly trained in such matters, so trust me.

 

Also, the poll question specifically states "what is your field of science?"

Not, 'what is your field of engineering' nor 'what is your field of science or engineering'.

Edited February 13, 2009 by DrDNA

[npts2020]

I had to vote other since my most relevant formal education has been mechanical/nuclear engineering. (I knew if I held out long enough someone would make another category.)

 

Aside to ajb; Mathematicians were only doing what their society says they should be doing, making as much money as they can. In a culture where laissez faire capitalism is considered the ideal, I think anyone trying to assign blame needs to look hard into a mirror. For every part of the current financial crisis from the housing bubble to Bernie Madoff there were warnings well ahead of when things turned sour, the problem is that everybody seemed to be maximizing profits so those with any authority to control things, did not act. It seems as if you wish to assess blame there is plenty of it to go around.

[CaptainPanic]

To be accurate, there is no evidence that there are a "bunch cheaters" here.

There is only evidence of one POSSIBLE cheater; the person responsible for changing the poll.

It may have been an honest oversight.

 

But, to be perfectly honest, we have do have at least 1 cheater and one possible cheater here: the poll changer and myself.

 

You see Cap , I am a habitual cheater....and a liar and a scoundrel as well, but that is a long story and completely OT.

So we do not have a "bunch of cheaters". We either have a couple of cheaters, one cheater and one possible cheater, or just one cheater and one over-sight-type person. There may be more, but there is no evidence for this.

This is simple math and logic. I am a scientist and highly trained in such matters, so trust me.

 

Also, the poll question specifically states "what is your field of science?"

Not, 'what is your field of engineering' nor 'what is your field of science or engineering'.

 

We should have started this thread with the definition of science. According to wikipedia:

 

Science:

"Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge" or "knowing") is the effort to discover and increase human understanding of how physical reality works."

Engineering:

Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying technical and scientific knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that safely realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria.)

 

So, we can discuss whether engineering is a science or not... If you're doing a first time design, which requires experiments, then you are making an effort to discover with the goal to optimize and implement. That is engineering, but also science. Does that therefore mean that engineering is science?

 

I believe that it is a bad idea to give people a chance to write a reply in a multiple choice question. You either click and vote, or you write and discuss... but the combination... this is the result.