4 ms·
Clearly not true in physics and engineering. How many people can honestly they're as smart as Maxwell, Einstein, Von Neumann, or even "minor" players like John
by TheOtherHobbes 4y ago
Clearly not true in physics and engineering. How many people can honestly they're as smart as Maxwell, Einstein, Von Neumann, or even "minor" players like John Bardeen and Bill Shockley?
More believable about business and public morality of all sorts (including economics), all of which can be swamps of reality-denying utter stupidity.
The opposite of stupid isn't smart. The opposite of stupid is true, accurate, and realistic.
- raziel2701 4y agoPeople like those you listed rarely run the world.
- LargoLasskhyfv 4y agoThe people in physics and engineering don't govern.
- tsunamifury 4y agoI think you should read up on some of these men’s thoughts on things other than physics and reconsider your point.
- seydor 4y agoMaxwell Einstein and Von neumann never took public office, and even avoided public policy positions
- none_to_remain 4y agoVery smart of them
- lapetitejort 4y agoFor every Einstein, there are hundreds or thousands of physicists who are actively exploring the big theories, and actually using them. How many physicists are working in and around CERN? A small fraction will earn any public recognition, yet all of them are furthering physics. That's just the physicists, never mind the engineers, material scientists, construction workers, managers, payroll accountants, etc, who are needed to run the place. Are they as "smart" as Einstein? Maybe. Some might be smarter. There are only so many big ideas to discover. Every other genius has to contend with exploring those ideas.
- nobodyandproud 4y ago> Clearly not true in physics and engineering. How many people can honestly they're as smart as Maxwell, Einstein, Von Neumann, or even "minor" players like John Bardeen and Bill Shockley? Clearly? Physics is littered with people playing the publish or die game. How many interesting (and feasible, non-crackpot) ideas are being drowned out because it’s not the mainstream? Sabine Hossenfelder weighed in this problem recently.
- denton-scratch 4y agoRecently? That's been her main hobby-horse for years. Don't get me wrong; I'm a big admirer of hers.
- nobodyandproud 4y agoPerhaps weighed-in again recently would be more accurate.
- John23832 4y agoWell, as a good example... Shockley, as brilliant of a physicist he was, was an ardent racist and proponent of eugenics.[0] He was cruel towards his children and wife, and ended up dying alone. If that doesn't show that people can be exceptional in one portion of their life, while horribly lacking in others... I don't know what does. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shockley#:~:text=Views%20on%20race%20and%20eugenics%5Bedit%5D https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shockley#:~:text=Views...