What do you think are key Differences Between an Engineer and a Scientist?[/B]

Irish_Elect_Eng

I would like to get some discussions going on the nature of Engineering.

To get the ball rolling:

What do you think are key Differences Between an Engineer and a Scientist?

There is a lot of overlap in the publics perception of the roles of people that work with technology. What do you see as the key differences in these roles?

DublinDilbert

Its hard to say cause some engineers make good scientists and some scientists make good engineers.

A science qualification is very general for the most part, where as engineers can be quite specific. A lot of the time Scientists like to take everything from first principles. Engineers typically (but not always) build on existing work to refine the implementation of something.

D-Generate

One asks "Why?" and the other asks "How?".

FesterBeatty

Engineering is the practical application of science.

Irish_Elect_Eng

I suppose that it is best to start with definitions to argue. (From Wiki)

Science is an enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the world. An older meaning still in use today is that of Aristotle, for whom scientific knowledge was a body of reliable knowledge that can be logically and rationally explained.

Engineering is the discipline, art, and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of people.

But those definitions often blur into one another in practice and function.

Perhaps the key question is one of intent or context of the activity.

What are the key difference?

Turbulent Bill

I tend to go with FesterBeatty's definition. Engineering to me is the application of science to solve practical problems, whereas science is the investigation of fundamental behaviours. There is a lot of overlap though.

enda1

Turbulent Bill wrote: »

I tend to go with FesterBeatty's definition. Engineering to me is the application of science to solve practical problems, whereas science is the investigation of fundamental behaviours. There is a lot of overlap though.

I see engineers as scientists.

So for me, engineering is a branch of science.
True - not all engineers are engaged in very scientific endeavours all time time, they may for example spend a lot of time on CAD, doing administration, teaching even. Still ultimately they are there to solve a problem and provide a solution - to go from the unknown to the known and understood, surely the goal of science?

spideog7

Engineers get stuff done, Scientists write papers about doing stuff... kind of like journalists except less entertaining

Irish_Elect_Eng

enda1 wrote: »

I see engineers as scientists.

So for me, engineering is a branch of science.
True - not all engineers are engaged in very scientific endeavours all time time, they may for example spend a lot of time on CAD, doing administration, teaching even. Still ultimately they are there to solve a problem and provide a solution - to go from the unknown to the known and understood, surely the goal of science?

Engineer = Scientist,

Ouch, not too many of either profession would agree, but I see your point :-)

I think that even fewer would agree that Engineering is a branch of science.

It is often argued that Engineering pre-dates science as a human endeavour.