# What makes a person a scientist? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046 "2017-02-28T17:42:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/1 "2017-02-28T17:42:12Z")
Do you need a degree? Are biologists scientists but doctors not? Engineers aren’t scientists but are chemical engineers scientists? Can you be a chemist and not be a scientist? Are psychologists scientists? Are people who graduate from any of the Social Sciences not scientists? ---
**Author:** ![Dickerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Dickerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dickerman)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/2 "2017-02-28T18:03:49Z")
No, you don’t need a degree. Doctors (MDs and others) are scientists, and engineers certainly can be. To me, if you employ the scientific method in advancing knowledge, you can be considered a scientist. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/3 "2017-02-28T18:47:40Z")
Also now consider ‘sports scientists’ and data scientists’ … ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/4 "2017-02-28T18:51:11Z")
I made myself a cup of tea this morning! SCIENCE!!! …also, my house blows up a lot. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/5 "2017-02-28T19:01:33Z")
> [@Dickerman](#): > > No, you don’t need a degree. Doctors (MDs and others) are scientists, and engineers certainly can be. To me, if you employ the scientific method in advancing knowledge, you can be considered a scientist. Generally MD’s are not scientists. And, engineers are not scientists, either. Employing the Scientific Method to increasing manufacturing efficiency doesn’t make one a Scientist. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/6 "2017-02-28T19:08:20Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Generally MD’s are not scientists. > > And, engineers are not scientists, either. Employing the Scientific Method to increasing manufacturing efficiency doesn’t make one a Scientist. Then what does? ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/7 "2017-02-28T19:14:05Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Generally MD’s are not scientists. > > And, engineers are not scientists, either. Employing the Scientific Method to increasing manufacturing efficiency doesn’t make one a Scientist. There is theoretical science and applied science. Engineering is an applied science. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/8 "2017-02-28T19:22:30Z")
This is a surprisingly difficult question to answer, as there are different definitions and levels. On the one hand, if someone studies science topics…they may consider themselves scientists. On the other hand, more snooty research types consider what they do ‘science’ and they are ‘scientists’ but medical doctors generally aren’t and engineers are ‘just’ technicians. Doing research, to them, is science. So university social scientists, doing real research; would be a scientist…but a medical doctor is not…(unless they are working as a research medical doctor). It gets ridiculously funny sometimes when arrogant research types meet others beneath their contempt. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/9 "2017-02-28T19:30:11Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Then what does? IMO, sharing research with people besides your direct employer. An engineer that makes some proprietary tweaks to optimize widget production isn’t a scientist. On the other hand, an engineer that shares new and generally useful information (via patents, publications, conference talks, etc.) is a scientist. I’d make a similar distinction with physicians. Merely treating patients isn’t science. However, learning something new in the process, and sharing it with others, does count as science. That could be by publishing case reports, or systematically evaluating a new treatment method. But there aren’t any hard between information that only matters for a handful of people vs everyone, or approaches that are or are not rigorous. On edit: I’d include anyone with the slightest intellectual contribution to the process as a scientist. Again IMO, a technician that merely puts samples in a machine isn’t a scientist. But if they notice that there’s something interesting that the machine isn’t measuring, and make a new set of measurements, they’re a scientist. No degree or formal qualifications are required. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/10 "2017-02-28T19:50:32Z")
> [@Dickerman](#): > > No, you don’t need a degree. Doctors (MDs and others) are scientists, and engineers certainly can be. To me, if you employ the scientific method in advancing knowledge, you can be considered a scientist. The ‘advancing knowledge’ part is key. Part of being a scientist is the breaking of new ground, adding to what’s already known. Applying existing knowledge to solving particular problems makes you a valuable technician, and if you work in the right field, you’ll get a respected title like M.D. or chemical engineer, but if you’re just _applying_ science, that doesn’t make you a scientist. While a Ph.D. is given for original research within a graduate program, and a Ph.D. in a scientific field is the usual credential demonstrating that one has become a scientist, you don’t need a Ph.D. Karl Weierstrass, who was one of the greatest mathematicians of the 19th century, didn’t have a doctorate - didn’t even have a university degree, according to Wikipedia, which I hadn’t realized until I looked him up. Ramanujan certainly didn’t have a doctorate. It’s just that most people with the skillz to do original research still need the formal training of a doctoral program to figure out how to get started. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/11 "2017-02-28T20:15:44Z")
IMHO you need to be actively doing science, which generally means using the scientific method to do research etc. Merely using complex science isn’t enough, or doing . General contractors use trig, but that doesn’t make them mathematicians. > [@Biggirl](#): > > Do you need a degree? Typically. Nowadays, it’s almost necessary, but was less so in the past. > [@](#): > > Are biologists scientists but doctors not? Doctors typically don’t “do science,” but many MD doctors work in this field. If they see patients daily, but write articles about new techniques they tested, they can very well be. > [@](#): > > Engineers aren’t scientists but are chemical engineers scientists? They can be. > [@](#): > > Can you be a chemist and not be a scientist? Walter White? I guess even he made new discoveries. > [@](#): > > Are psychologists scientists? Often they are. People with psychology degrees range from very hard to very soft. > [@](#): > > Are people who graduate from any of the Social Sciences not scientists? They can be. Computer scientists can be scientists or “mere” programmers. I assume this is inspired by either Ben Carson or Bill Nye (or possibly Neil deGrasse Tyson?) NdGT is definitely one even if he’s later become more of an advocate than someone who actively does it. Nye is a science educator. Carson certainly used science, but I don’t think he did much research. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/12 "2017-02-28T20:24:04Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I assume this is inspired by either Ben Carson or Bill Nye (or possibly Neil deGrasse Tyson?) NdGT is definitely one even if he’s later become more of an advocate than someone who actively does it. Nye is a science educator. Carson certainly used science, but I don’t think he did much research. It was inspired by Tucker Carlson implying Bill Nye wasn’t a scientist during their climate control debate. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/13 "2017-02-28T20:34:17Z")
Tucker Carlson is an imbecile. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/14 "2017-02-28T20:59:17Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Tucker Carlson is an imbecile. Defining who is a scientist is hard. But this statement, is incredibly easy to make. And completely accurate. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/15 "2017-02-28T21:11:45Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > It was inspired by Tucker Carlson implying Bill Nye wasn’t a scientist during their climate control debate. > [@QuickSilver](#): > > Tucker Carlson is an imbecile. Ah, then Nye is not really a scientist, no. But I don’t think it’s fair to call Carlson that, as according to [his concept of current scientific theories](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics_in_the_United_States), he would have you know that he’s no mere imbecile and on some days he tests as [high as a moron](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moron_(psychology)). ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/16 "2017-02-28T23:05:07Z")
I’ve read a defense of Bill Nye being considered a scientist, and it seemed convincing to me. Can’t remember the details or find the website, but it had something to do with him actually doing science with NASA after his career as an engineer and actor were mostly over, and before his recent comeback. Personally, as an engineer, I don’t consider myself a scientist. But I’m perfectly happy calling myself a “Science Guy”. Thanks, Bill Nye. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/17 "2017-02-28T23:25:06Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Personally, as an engineer, I don’t consider myself a scientist. But I’m perfectly happy calling myself a “Science Guy”. Thanks, Bill Nye. I am partial to “[scientician](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f2P5yJFQKw)” ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/18 "2017-02-28T23:28:00Z")
Marge: There’s someone here who says he can help you. Homer: Batman?! Marge: No, he’s a scientist. Homer: Batman’s a scientist. Marge: It’s not Batman! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/19 "2017-03-01T00:03:26Z")
This is like asking “what makes a person an artist?” I take photos. Some of them are even good. Am I an “artist?” I don’t think so. I also make decorative tourch-cut metal objects. Some of them are even good. Does that make me an “artist?” I don’t think so. I have an undergraduate degree in Physics. Does that make me a “Scientist?” I don’t think so. As with many fields, _intent_ is important. If I create a unique and useful new computer algorithm, that still doesn’t make me a Computer Scientist. If I devote myself to studying the hummingbirds that come to my feeder, and become an expert on their behaviors and lifecycle, I might be regarded as an authority, but I’m not sure that qualifies me as a Scientist. Maybe, though. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046/20 "2017-03-01T01:40:24Z")
If I’m feeling pedantic, I would say a scientist is someone who _does_ science. They don’t merely use it. Scientists analyze data in a replicable, systematic, minimally-biased manner to characterize/describe a phenomenon and/or to test rational hypotheses. So someone who collects data but doesn’t actually analyze and interpret those data isn’t truly a scientist, IMHO. They are a technician. And someone who synthesizes established science to solve problems isn’t acting in the capacity of a scientist either, IMHO. I think they are more of a practitioner. But in general, I don’t have a problem with a broad umbrella. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-person-a-scientist/781046.md?page=2)