Re: c.d.theory lexicon overview

In message <a1g4a0tphd3t1mbmpe9dg1td8a8teuvejt_at_4ax.com>, Gene Wirchenko <genew_at_mail.ocis.net> writes
>"Anthony W. Youngman" <wol_at_thewolery.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>In message <sfhr90tq6gocq3ib2u0ddh11q55t9s2pk5_at_4ax.com>, Gene Wirchenko
>><genew_at_mail.ocis.net> writes
>>>>And while the two may morph into each other, Computer Science seems to
>>>>belong firmly in the "pure maths" category which, by definition, is not
>>>>scientific at all.
>>>
>>> Say what? I would put it in the category of pure science.
>>
>>What do you mean by pure science?
>>
>>I would say that if something such as "pure science" exists, it would be
>>very "hands on" "get your hands dirty" type stuff. And most definitely
>>NOT an exercise mostly in brain-power.
>
> I think you are confusing application of science with the science
>itself, that is, implementation vs. analysis.
>
Well, I'd call "the application of science" engineering ...

And you can't analyse the real world without getting your hands dirty...

Using your brain is maths (mostly). Would you call all that mucking about on the tennis court at Los Alamos the *application* of science? Would you call Faraday's or Maxwell's experiments the *application* of science?

Taking it more into the modern day. You have to choose. Who are the scientists - the people *using* places like CERN and SLAC, or the people working out what they should look for?

The former are experimental physicists, the latter theoretical physicists. And if I had to choose one or the other, it would be the experimenters. The theoreticians are mathematicians.

I know the distinction is vague - I'd give the line as:

Pure mathematicians
Applied mathematicians / theoretical physicists Experimental physicists
Physical chemists
Chemists

and so on and so on. Where to draw the line? But if you have to draw the line between maths and science, I'd put it between the two physicists.

Cheers,
Wol

-- 
Anthony W. Youngman - wol at thewolery dot demon dot co dot uk
HEX wondered how much he should tell the Wizards. He felt it would not be a
good idea to burden them with too much input. Hex always thought of his reports
as Lies-to-People.
The Science of Discworld : (c) Terry Pratchett 1999