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Why call Cliff a "mad" scientist? He's a polymath possessing diverse skills, some of them esoteric (glassblowing), but there's no evidence that he's even eccen
by jrd259 7y ago
Why call Cliff a "mad" scientist? He's a polymath possessing diverse skills, some of them esoteric (glassblowing), but there's no evidence that he's even eccentric, much less "mad". Sure he built a robot, but it doesn't even have weapons. Seriously, would you have called Feynmann, Heinlein or Minsky mad? There's this trope that if you are smart and do anything unusual you must also be "mad". Smarts, curiosity, and hard work are not an illness.
- yathern 7y agoI think the "mad" in "mad scientist" makes it form a compound word - that doesn't suggest the person is clinically insane. To me, I hear "mad scientist" and I think: - Very knowledgeable across a range of studies - Likes to build homebrew projects - Impressive work ethic and devotion to projects - Does it not for money or fame, but just because it's what they do
- TremendousJudge 7y ago- Has crazy hair like Cliff Stoll or Albert Einstein in that one picture