# Mad Scientists

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientists/347052>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 4, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientists/347052 "2006-03-04T17:15:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientists/347052/41 "2006-03-06T22:34:45Z")

</div>

Just remember, mad scientists don’t build weapons of world conquering and destruction. Mad Engineers do.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientists/347052/42 "2006-03-07T01:04:34Z")

</div>

> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> Did Edison himself “produce” the film, or just his company?

A good point.  
The Edison Manufacturing Company was essentially the umbrella company that ran all the different divisions of his business. My understanding is that, while he continued to work on the technical challenges of improving the new technology through this period and happily raked in the profits and kudos, he generally left making the actual films to others.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientists/347052/43 "2006-03-07T01:59:10Z")

</div>

> [@ronincyberpunk](#):
>
> Just remember, mad scientists don’t build weapons of world conquering and destruction. Mad Engineers do.

Engineering is a science. Mad engineering is mad science.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientists/347052/44 "2006-03-07T12:26:04Z")

</div>

> [@Jonathan Chance](#):
>
> If so it would go back to Prospero in _The Tempest_ and, I’m certain, beyond.

When I read the thread title, the first thing I thought of was Morbius in “Forbidden Planet” talking about the mad scientists of the taped thrillers. Forbidden Planet of course taking many cues from “The Tempest.” 😉

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientists/347052.md?page=2)