Are Chemists Less Esteemed Than Physicists?

[Cyrus]

If I really thought that philosophers did not say anything meaningful then I would put them in the same category as raving lunatics. Do you look down on raving lunatics? Let's leave mental illness out of this, let's say that they choose to be lunatics (actually I guess that is the popular definition of a philosopher).

Maybe it is just a language problem; do you look up to some professions more than others ? Then, if later in life you belonged to one of the professions that you held in higher esteem but your rankings had stayed the same, wouldn't you then be looking down on the careers that you previously had looked up to less?

For example, I certainly don't think being a chemist is a bad thing. When I was young I could say "I look down at criminals and capitalists, I look up to chemists and engineers, and I look up to to physicists to an even greater degree." Now that I am a physicist I am required to 'look down' at chemists in order to maintain self-consistency, but that doesn't mean that I think chemist are bad, just less good.

Wow, you're rationalizing your own arrogance.

I'd like to know how you reconsile:

"For example, I certainly don't think being a chemist is a bad thing."

with:

"I look down on chemists"


Mumbo-Jumbo-Gumbo!

 

[confinement]

And ? Did you find the rationalization to be rational ?

 

[NBAJam100]

If I really thought that philosophers did not say anything meaningful then I would put them in the same category as raving lunatics. Do you look down on raving lunatics? Let's leave mental illness out of this, let's say that they choose to be lunatics (actually I guess that is the popular definition of a philosopher).

Maybe it is just a language problem; do you look up to some professions more than others ? Then, if later in life you belonged to one of the professions that you held in higher esteem but your rankings had stayed the same, wouldn't you then be looking down on the careers that you previously had looked up to less?

For example, I certainly don't think being a chemist is a bad thing. When I was young I could say "I look down at criminals and capitalists, I look up to chemists and engineers, and I look up to to physicists to an even greater degree." Now that I am a physicist I am required to 'look down' at chemists in order to maintain self-consistency, but that doesn't mean that I think chemist are bad, just less good.

Well if you are talking about it in terms of you respecting one more than another, I understand. I interpreted your looking down on comments in a more disrespectful way than you intended I guess. Maybe you could have used a less harsh term to get your point across... If you feel superior to chemists (in a non disrespectful way), that's fine, its your opinion. No beef... errr gumbo... here

 

[Proton Soup]

everybody is a philosopher, it seems. there's a reason philosophy is a lounge subforum.

 

[Cyrus]

And ? Did you find the rationalization to be rational ?

Nope.

"Chemists are not bad, just less good".

That's a pretty ambiguous statement. Actually, its a statement of disrespect towards chemists.

 

[NBAJam100]

everybody is a philosopher, it seems. there's a reason philosophy is a lounge subforum.

I only see one "philosopher" here. Everyone else is trying to fend his trickery off!

 

[confinement]

Cyrus and NBAJam, I say without sarcasm that you really have gotten through to me. I never meant that chemists were bad or unworthy of respect and admiration. As I said, I am only maintaining self consistency.

I'd like to know how you reconsile:

"For example, I certainly don't think being a chemist is a bad thing."

with:

"I look down on chemists"

The reconcilliation occurs as purely logical technicality. I have always considered physicists to be greater than chemists, and I am physicist, therefore I look down on chemists.