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To: GingisK

“If you want to impress me, explain rocket motor performance in terms of the principles thermodynamic and fluid dynamics. Please factor in the affects of particulate masses of various combustion byproducts for the fuel/oxidizer of your choice.”

Why would I try to explain something I’ve never studied and know very little about. And who said I wanted to impress you?

“Spelling and grammar are not even remotely an indication of intelligence.”

Definitely wrong. Intelligence is the ability to absorb, assimilate and retain information and knowledge, which means intelligence is directly related to a person’s ability to learn anything, including tie your shoelaces. Not being able to learn spelling and grammar - or worse, ignoring them - is an indication of lesser intelligence capability.

“Most engineers can’t spell worth a crap;...”

I find it humorous that I’m still seeing people trot out the engineer defense after almost 20 years pointing out spelling and grammar deficiencies online...The same would go for architect, but I suspect most can’t spell it.

A person can go through college with a C average and still be an engineer. Which equates to an IQ (Intelligence Quotient, the ability to assimilate knowledge) of around 85 to 90. Genius is 120.

“Most engineers can’t spell worth a crap; however, they can land vehicles on Mars.”

And here I was thinking it was NASA that did that...silly me...

I’ve always wondered how many of those engineers’ brilliant ideas were sent back because they couldn’t possibly be actually manufactured. I know how many times I had to make custom cutting tools in 8 years as a machinist because some brilliant engineer drew something on paper that no standard cutting tool made would do.


356 posted on 08/31/2015 9:46:39 PM PDT by Paleo Pete (I'm with the bomb squad. If you see me running, CATCH UP!)
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To: Paleo Pete
And here I was thinking it was NASA that did that...silly me...

NASA is an organization that has scientists and engineers on its payroll. NASA also contracts work out to aerospace companies; and, they employ scientists and engineers as well as tradesmen. I assure you, it is always the scientists and engineers that design NASA's hardware and flight characteristics. The organization is quite inert without its PEOPLE.

And who said I wanted to impress you?

Ditto. We are conversing about your misguided notions.

Intelligence is the ability to absorb, assimilate and retain information and knowledge...Not being able to learn spelling and grammar...is an indication of lesser intelligence capability.

You have included only a part of the definition. From Merriam:

...the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations : reason; also : the skilled use of reason (2) : the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one's environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria...

Spelling is RULE based and somewhat arbitrary rules at that. Intelligence is the ability to make correct observations and process knowledge into solutions.

I know how many times I had to make custom cutting tools in 8 years as a machinist because some brilliant engineer drew something on paper that no standard cutting tool made would do.

None of the machines and cutters you use came from RULE based rote activity. They all came from problem solving "outside of the box". This is one of the things intelligence does: Solves problems by creating new machines, processes, and materials. Spelling and grammar have NEVER participated in that effort. They are used to document the new stuff "after the fact". The documentation is usually edited for public dissemination by someone other than the original author. (We used to call those secretary pools.)

I am somewhat familiar with machinists. All I have met are brilliant, high on the IQ scale. Their problem solving aptitude is usually stunning. None of them got to where they are because they spell well or keep their grammar in order. They are brilliant problem solvers.

357 posted on 09/01/2015 8:16:50 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: Paleo Pete
My guess is that you have a beef with engineers because they underestimate your worth or intelligence. You also know from experience that engineers are generally terrible at spelling and grammar. You are blessed with a good memory including the application of arbitrary rules that are essential to spelling and grammar; therefore, you have some sturdy ground for a good fight.

I worked many years as a software/electronics engineer. I took machine shop courses while in high school, and now maintain a machine shop of my own as a hobby. From the very beginning I regarded machinists as my intellectual equal or superior, and was never disappointed. Machinists have taught me a great deal through the years; so, I appreciate machinists as much as any engineer or scientist. It is a fact that my machinist friends and I have made some pretty neat machinery just by working happily together.

I have observed the snobbishness that some engineers hold for machinists. I try to set them straight whenever I can. Depending on the school they attended, this correction may not take place. Those types are usually problematic even for other engineers.

Please understand that the mind of an engineer is often different from your own. Machinists have minds where better memory is one predominate difference.

358 posted on 09/01/2015 8:34:47 AM PDT by GingisK
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