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What makes a real Scientist?

KJbushway

Commodore
I don't think that just having a career makes you a real scientist. What in your opinion is the qualities of a real scientist? :confused:
 
You have to be able to build and assemble a working Interocitor with just the instruction manual, and the name of only three components.;)
 
I'm not sure I understand your question. By definition, a person that engages in a systematic activity to expand the understanding of nature using the scientific method is a scientist. This usually means that a scientist is learned in one or more fields of science. A scientist also usually makes a living through his activity. The latter part is not theoretically necessary, but in today's world it's extremely rare to practice scientific research except in a formal academic environment.

Now, if you are asking what virtues and dispositions must be possessed by a honest scientist, that's another matter.
 
I'd say scientific training (most likely resulting in an advanced degree from an accredited institution), an adherence to the scientific method, and a job that makes you do sciency...stuff.
 
My husband is an inorganics metals chemist. He can make alcohol freeze. That makes him pretty real in my book. :guffaw:
 
A white labcoat.

And a chemistry set, with beakers, test tubes and a bunsan burner.

The test tubes should be filled with brightly coloured liquids and displayed prominently. Papers with important looking equations should be strewn about all over.

Be sure to have a couple of biros sticking out your lab coat's breast pocket.
 
A white labcoat.

And a chemistry set, with beakers, test tubes and a bunsan burner.

The test tubes should be filled with brightly coloured liquids and displayed prominently. Papers with important looking equations should be strewn about all over.

Be sure to have a couple of biros sticking out your lab coat's breast pocket.

Don't forget a massive blackboard with crudely drawn but easy-to-understand diagrams on it.

And wild, unkempt hair.
 
^
Yes...plenty of Hot Pockets & Tab on hand...do they still make Tab?
 
Raw sexuality and a morphine habit.

Damn, my wife is a scientist, with a big fancy ivy league phd and everything, but I could really go for more raw sexuality and opiates.

I find higher education to be remarkably overrated when it comes to the whole science thing.

That's a you problem, as they don't let any geek off the street run some lab. It's sort of a pre-req in that line of work.
 
They always take the fun out of life.


On a serious note, I actually knew a guy in college who worked for a time in a hot lab. Considering some of his personal history, I'm often surprised I don't live in a vast wasteland ruled by zombies.
 
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