Hey guys,i have been seeing this topic on many foreign forums,but not on nairaland..so i decided to bring it here. As to who is smarter between a physicist and an engineer. My take is,a physicist is smarter,because he can replace an engineer,but vice-versa is near impossible,although they work hand-in-hand. But the upper hand a physicist has is that he has a broader knowledge of physics,while engineers focus mainly on practicals,and have lesser knowledge of physics(the koko ),although physicist also practicalize,but not like engineers. And again,look around you,every technological breakthrough was invented by a physicist in the lab,then the engineers produce those inventions for commercial use in the industry/factory. Which makes the physicist more smarter. So Guys drop your own opinion and facts,lets have fun.

First of all, let's get one thing straight- the course you study doesn't make you smart, YOU make YOU smart.
Then if you ask me physics and engineering are incomparable because physics is a science(knowledge) and deals mostly with theories while engineering is technology(applied knowledge).
My 2 measely kobo

Incorrect:
First of all, let's get one thing straight- the course you study doesn't make you smart, YOU make YOU smart.
Then if you ask me physics and engineering are incomparable because physics is a science(knowledge) and deals mostly with theories while engineering is technology(applied knowledge).
My 2 measely kobo

the are closely comparable because they both apply laws of physics. And physics is not mostly theories,theres a branch of physics that deals with that-theoretical physics

darkhorizon:
Hey guys,i have been seeing this topic on many foreign forums,but not on nairaland..so i decided to bring it here. As to who is smarter between a physicist and an engineer. My take is,a physicist is smarter,because he can replace an engineer,but vice-versa is near impossible,although they work hand-in-hand. But the upper hand a physicist has is that he has a broader knowledge of physics,while engineers focus mainly on practicals,and have lesser knowledge of physics(the koko ),although physicist also practicalize,but not like engineers. And again,look around you,every technological breakthrough was invented by a physicist in the lab,then the engineers produce those inventions for commercial use in the industry/factory. Which makes the physicist more smarter. So Guys drop your own opinion and facts,lets have fun.

Lest we fool ourselves; engineering is not a real productive discipline, it was an artificial construct by the european upper classes to take control of industrial production. Engineering is all about design and management of technical production processes, which anybody trained in those actual processes can do.

The actual disciplines are craft technicians and technologists of the various crafts like machinists, mechanics, builders, industrial chemists like paint makers and gas production). It is these people that make use of scientific discoveries of physics etc to fabricate new artefacts.

The tragedy of black africa is that the we allowed ourselves to be hoodwinked on the above principle. Thats why we have thousands and thousands of engineers but can manufacture nothing. Because we dont have technologists and technicians. Dont confuse technician with artisan-we have plenty of those. In order to construct a simple road which our engineers have already designed, we have to import expatriate technicians and technologists (mind you, not engineers -we have plenty of those also). We depend on expatriates to even run five star hotels we have built, because lets face it, management itself is an art and craft even if it has scientific areas (psychology, sociology).

Ok

holocron:
Ok

yeah you do have solid point,most engineering students actually think they are trained to be engineers and technicians...but are two different things, i worked in an electrical consulting firm,and i assure you even my boss cant implement what he has done on paper,unless he calls his technicians to apply them

that is d point, we hav failed to distinguish the difference between an engineer and a technician. in d field of engineering, d engineers work like d physicist, directing and improving d works of d technician. well, am a physicist nd I must tell u dat we hav a broader understanding of engineering though nt practical. u will agree with me dat d recent technologies we hav now has its principle of operation in quantum mechanics. the engineers can do many things practically, bt d underlying principle on why they do what they do is wat they can't decipher. wen I was writing my project, I had a mechanical engineer working in materials, he was constructing a lighter and bullet proof car door. I asked him why he was using d POLYMER material, he didn't knw bt he was using t because the previous people dat worked on dat project used it. let me stop here for now.

@mrphysics you are 100% right most people study engineering for money,and after studying it,they get shocked as to where they get employed.The most common thing engineers do is consulting,most mechanical eng. Students have little knowledge that they will end up beign a plumbing and mechanical worker making pipes,and electrical eng. Students end up fixing lights,for a new building. Where did all the first class engineers end up? Plumbing industry and design industry, smh...where is the dream of creating a new type of propulsion for cars,where is the dream of making an optical based system or transmitting electricity through lasers... The simple truth is that all those dreams are achieved by physicists.

@dark horizon, wen I was doing my project, I actually worked on THIN FILMS, GRAPHENE/Nickel Hydroxide, they was a lecturer in materials and metallurgical engineering, he brought the engineering students dat he z supervising into our lab to do a project on what he z working on in his Ph.D thesis. My point is dat, dis students really didn't understand what actually they r learning and the practical aspect of t. u really knw their niche. well, I just pray that Nigeria will realise how to use d physicists nd engineers together. r u a physicist? graduate? which school.

I am a physics student of unilorin

A couple of universities in the USA already offer Engineering Physics at the undergraduate level. The graduates can function as engineers or do postgraduate courses in physics.

jeebz:
A couple of universities in the USA already offer Engineering Physics at the undergraduate level. The graduates can function as engineers or do postgraduate courses in physics.

engineering physics doesnt makes you a physicist,it just gives you a broader knowledge of engineering with physics

An engineer is an employable scientist.
A physicist is an unemployable engineer.
Physicists aren't concerned with the practicality of their research. They are only concerned with studying nature and how it behaves.

Engineers on the other hand, use facts and knowledge about the physical world developed by physicists to make things that are practical for everyday use. And yes, engineers don't care how those facts and knowledge came about, all they care is can it be used to make something useful for everyone.

The problem with Nigeria is that we do not have enough technician and technologist before embarking on mass training of our so called engineers, chuned out by our universities yearly. It is the technician that do the real work of engineering. Its supposed to be pyramid like, with few engineers, many technologist, plenty technician. Inverse is the case here

well, since the question is that who is smarter, then the answer is undoubtedly the physicists.


don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that studying physics makes you smarter, i'm saying that smarter people are naturally more attracted to physics than towards engineering.

Albert Einstein
Nikola Tesla
Archimedes
Galileo Galilei
Blaise Pascal

i need not continue. you see, physics is what you study when you have such an unquenchable thirst for knowledge of how nature works. such huge curiosity and intellect. engineering is what you study when you want to learn how to make and design things. however, i wouldn't be so quick to dismiss our able engineers.
engineers are very practical. they barely use their abstract thinking. this is not an insult, abeg. they are usually quite logical. they don't have time for "thought experiments." hahaha.
nowadays, most physicists don't even do anything besides write and think. and think some more. and write . . . and then think a little. and then think some more.

engineers are always tinkering and drawing and DOING things.

i end with this quote.

It is the job of the physicist to FIND out what is possible. it is that of the engineer to MAKE it possible.

Teempakguy:
well, since the question is that who is smarter, then the answer is undoubtedly the physicists.


don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that studying physics makes you smarter, i'm saying that smarter people are naturally more attracted to physics than towards engineering.

Albert Einstein
Nikola Tesla
Archimedes
Galileo Galilei
Blaise Pascal

i need not continue. you see, physics is what you study when you have such an unquenchable thirst for knowledge of how nature works. such huge curiosity and intellect. engineering is what you study when you want to learn how to make and design things. however, i wouldn't be so quick to dismiss our able engineers.
engineers are very practical. they barely use their abstract thinking. this is not an insult, abeg. they are usually quite logical. they don't have time for "thought experiments." hahaha.
nowadays, most physicists don't even do anything besides write and think. and think some more. and write . . . and then think a little. and then think some more.

engineers are always tinkering and drawing and DOING things.

i end with this quote.

I agree with u completely, u got t right. everyday, d physicist is busy thinking out d next thing in d areas of engineering and medicine, whereas, d engineer z busy using d already made technology to make more fanciful products. I did my project on how GRAPHENE/Nickel Oxide can replace silicon in electronics and solar panels. because of d limitations of silicon. bt most of my engineering friends were constructing a prototype etc. so I can boldly tell u how technology will b in 2030. I hav more foresight on how things will revolve in d nearest future dan an engineer. since the future of technology is embedded in d principles of Quantum Mechanics, and whereas, d subject is nt taught to engineers, physicist will always hold d key to technology

Well, each has a role to play in a society and I think one cannot do without the other.

My two cents. . .

engineers build while physicists theorize.

why are you comparing the two?

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110407221629AAWpB8A

A physicist is in no way smarter than an engineer. Here in Nigeria the most intelligent students are to wont to become Engineers or doctors. I, for example, am a high-end genius but I am studying Mechanical Engineering, although I easily Mathematics and Physics.

timonski:
A physicist is in no way smarter than an engineer. Here in Nigeria the most intelligent students are to wont to become Engineers or doctors. I, for example, am a high-end genius but I am studying Mechanical Engineering, although I easily Mathematics and Physics.

you are so wrong,because you teach sec. School physicis and u have a passion for welding,oh sorry Mech. Eng doesnt mean you know physics.and talking about smart people opt-in for Eng and Medicine,most engineering students are half baked,and dont talk of Nigeria,atm it is not a developed country just yet.......all developed countries in the world owe their development to physicists. And everytime you are taught any of your course,just pray for the physicist that made it possible for you to learn

itstpia8:
engineers build while physicists theorize.

why are you comparing the two?

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110407221629AAWpB8A

you are so wrong,go get informed boy. The physicist that theorize are called theoretical physicist,or are u telling me medical physicist,geophysicist,laser physicist,material scientist,and so on theorize. Again,Go and get informed boy.

timonski:
A physicist is in no way smarter than an engineer. Here in Nigeria the most intelligent students are to wont to become Engineers or doctors. I, for example, am a high-end genius but I am studying Mechanical Engineering, although I easily Mathematics and Physics.

as an undergraduate, I was following up with my friends in mechanical engineering, comparing what they were doing, and for u to think u do well in physics and mathematics is just at engineering level. my dear, u hav nt seen anything called maths. most times I laugh wen people shout at how hard engineering maths is, bt they hav nt seen MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS. my point is dat at Energy centres, NASA, National space centre Abuja and any place we hav both engineers and physicists working, d physicists will always b directing d engineers on what to implement. no one is fighting for superiority of courses here, we r just facing facts. THEY Z NO AREA OF ENGINEERING THAT A PHYSICIST HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF, even if its a surface knowledge, bt d reverse is not d case. currently in Nigeria, its only PHYSICIST dat r doing SOLAR ENERGY, bt very soon, u will see SOLAR ENGINEERING. An engineering undergraduate does no course on Solar Energy or Nuclear. can u see what am talking abt? when I go tru d notes of my Engineering friends, I understand all they r been thought. bt I was teaching, Sandwich student Quantum Mechanics and my engineering friend hav nt heard of what a wave function is, so how will he now b in control of d next technology coming up? if I den talk abt SOLID STATE, PARAMAGNETISM AND DIAMAGNETISM dat r completely quantum mechanical, den he will b a novice. let me stop here for now. tnks

darkhorizon:
you are so wrong,go get informed boy. The physicist that theorize are called theoretical physicist,or are u telling me medical physicist,geophysicist,laser physicist,material scientist,and so on theorize. Again,Go and get informed boy.

he doesn't hav such knowledge, I was telling one of friend dat, we were taught meteorology and I can tell him d level planes can fly and d reason for t, I can also tell him why @NNAMDI KANU was able to transmit from London and can switch in between frequencies without been jammed. I can apply my atmospheric physics in airport more dan an engineer can do . I can tell him how d atmosphere looks and behaves. the best cloud to fly and many more.

What most people dont understand is that physicist even practicalize on the hypothesis they have made then the engineers(lets assume they also take the role of a technician) takes the model the physicist has made and thinks of how to produce it for domestic use for a set of consumers....the thing is that engineers dont invent,they only recreate a domestic version of what a physicist has already invented.

mrphysics:
as an undergraduate, I was following up with my friends in mechanical engineering, comparing what they were doing, and for u to think u do well in physics and mathematics is just at engineering level. my dear, u hav nt seen anything called maths. most times I laugh wen people shout at how hard engineering maths is, bt they hav nt seen MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS. my point is dat at Energy centres, NASA, National space centre Abuja and any place we hav both engineers and physicists working, d physicists will always b directing d engineers on what to implement. no one is fighting for superiority of courses here, we r just facing facts. THEY Z NO AREA OF ENGINEERING THAT A PHYSICIST HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF, even if its a surface knowledge, bt d reverse is not d case. currently in Nigeria, its only PHYSICIST dat r doing SOLAR ENERGY, bt very soon, u will see SOLAR ENGINEERING. An engineering undergraduate does no course on Solar Energy or Nuclear. can u see what am talking abt? when I go tru d notes of my Engineering friends, I understand all they r been thought. bt I was teaching, Sandwich student Quantum Mechanics and my engineering friend hav nt heard of what a wave function is, so how will he now b in control of d next technology coming up? if I den talk abt SOLID STATE, PARAMAGNETISM AND DIAMAGNETISM dat r completely quantum mechanical, den he will b a novice. let me stop here for now. tnks

I agree with all you have said. Physics and Mathematics maybe the Top courses, but that doesn't mean physicists are smarter than Engineers.
Here in uniport, most of my secondary school classmates who are average students are now studying physics or math related courses. They all filled in engineering courses in their UTME form, but were 'thrown' into physics et al because they were not 'smart' to study Engineering.
I, for example, can understand anything. So if I have the background knowledge, i will sure as hell understand quantum mechanics, loop theory and others.

Mathematics and physics require abstract reasoning. Anybody with a high iq would find those subjects really easy regardless of profession. You are just hyping your courses.

timonski:
Mathematics and physics require abstract reasoning. Anybody with a high iq would find those subjects really easy regardless of profession. You are just hyping your courses.

how one is in secondary school does nt in any way define d person, I hav seen people who were d best in dia secondary school days bt end u average in university. with experience I can tell u dat d worst student in secondary who is determined to succeed will do well in d university. Again, my brother, unlike what u think abt maths and physics, somethings r really difficult. I must submit to d fact dat engineers produce d things u and I need, I.e our domestic needs, bt beyond dat what next? everyone wants to learn how to use Auto card, design buildings, do plumbing, repair cars, wire houses, construct roads, dis things r there really science?? technicians can do t more dan u. we r talking abt Science, d near future, d next technology, nuclear energy, solar energy, health etc dat is smartness young man. who do engineers nt receive noble prize awards? why do physicists dominate electronics, electricity etc, hav u heard abt super conductivity dat z smartness. d engineers may find gud construction companies to work in Nigeria, bt its nt what we r talking abt, we r talking abt smartness in the things been done. just like someone rightly said, d engineers implement to d domestic consumption of people the things discovered by physicist, and I hav prophesies to u dat very soon u will see SOLAR ENGINEERING which is completely physics. Tnks nd happy Sunday

mrphysics:
how one is in secondary school does nt in any way define d person, I hav seen people who were d best in dia secondary school days bt end u average in university. with experience I can tell u dat d worst student in secondary who is determined to succeed will do well in d university. Again, my brother, unlike what u think abt maths and physics, somethings r really difficult. I must submit to d fact dat engineers produce d things u and I need, I.e our domestic needs, bt beyond dat what next? everyone wants to learn how to use Auto card, design buildings, do plumbing, repair cars, wire houses, construct roads, dis things r there really science?? technicians can do t more dan u. we r talking abt Science, d near future, d next technology, nuclear energy, solar energy, health etc dat is smartness young man. who do engineers nt receive noble prize awards? why do physicists dominate electronics, electricity etc, hav u heard abt super conductivity dat z smartness. d engineers may find gud construction companies to work in Nigeria, bt its nt what we r talking abt, we r talking abt smartness in the things been done. just like someone rightly said, d engineers implement to d domestic consumption of people the things discovered by physicist, and I hav prophesies to u dat very soon u will see SOLAR ENGINEERING which is completely physics. Tnks nd happy Sunday

Noise. Physicists talk; Engineers make the money. Now who is smart one huh?

timonski:

Noise. Physicists talk; Engineers make the money. Now who is smart one huh?

just discovered u r an undergraduate arguing under biased mind, very soon u will understand. gudday and gud luck. make d best out of ur discipline. always study ur books, leaders r readers. its really a pleasure

timonski:

Noise. Physicists talk; Engineers make the money. Now who is smart one huh?

firstly,i'd like to know what you want to do with your Eng. Degree,and what your goals are as an engineering student before i proceed.

Physics do not really care about money. In fact most scientists care about making the world a better place.

timonski:
A physicist is in no way smarter than an engineer. Here in Nigeria the most intelligent students are to wont to become Engineers or doctors. I, for example, am a high-end genius but I am studying Mechanical Engineering, although I easily Mathematics and Physics.

wow . . . what does "high-end genius" mean?
i'm assuming that this means your IQ is somewhat High.

fine.

but in actuality, the statistics aren't on your side. throughout history, the smartest people have being physicists and mathematicians.

one thing i don't understand though. how do you do it? how do you manage to limit yourself to one specialized course? i'm a low end genius and i find it extremely hard to stay on one subject. hence i try to study the ones that encompass a wide range of subjects. like physics. mechanical engineers are limited to things that move and things that are on earth. what about the sun, the moon, celestial objects? what about strings, what about electrons, what about programs, graphics, how do you shut your mind to all that?

and also. in another of your posts, you implied that money is an important factor in determining intelligence. why and how on earth would an high-end genius think like that? i almost can't fathom it.

mrphysics:
I agree with u completely, u got t right. everyday, d physicist is busy thinking out d next thing in d areas of engineering and medicine, whereas, d engineer z busy using d already made technology to make more fanciful products. I did my project on how GRAPHENE/Nickel Oxide can replace silicon in electronics and solar panels. because of d limitations of silicon. bt most of my engineering friends were constructing a prototype etc. so I can boldly tell u how technology will b in 2030. I hav more foresight on how things will revolve in d nearest future dan an engineer. since the future of technology is embedded in d principles of Quantum Mechanics, and whereas, d subject is nt taught to engineers, physicist will always hold d key to technology

like i earlier said, sir, physics is kind of something for the smarter ones because it is a fundamental subject. it's almost impossible to find someone with an IQ higher than 150 in engineering department. they're all astrophysicists. or at least mathematicians.

physics is like the backbone of all the engineering courses. who would pick just one facet and study that for five years? what the hell? my brain would turn to mush if i tried anything like that.