(August 7, 2019 at 6:33 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

Quote:I think the only intellectual character in pop culture in recent years has been Hannibal Lector.

Sheldon Cooper.

Boru

Sheldon Cooper was meant to be a no less demeaning caricature of an intellectual than Steve Urkel from Family Matters.

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(August 7, 2019 at 6:36 am)Grandizer Wrote:

(August 7, 2019 at 12:37 am)Shell B Wrote: Stop splitting hairs for the sake of it. I mean, I wouldn't get mad on Twitter about it, but dolphins ain't fish, yo.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/dolphin.html

Find me a biologist who will waffle like the posts in these threads about whether dolphins are fish. None of them actual think you mean Mahi when you say dolphin.

They be mammals, brah. It's such a pointless semantics waste of time to debate it.

That's fair, though when biologists are doing their research, they are expected to use the scientific names for these organisms rather than ambiguous common names.

When biologist publish their research, they are expected to use scientific names.  

When they do research they have full authority to determine what is sufficiently unambiguous in the immediate context to use for the immediate purpose.   They can use “flipper” with each other if the meaning in the context is clear. 

Although if they are known to use “fish” then their doctoral advisor, how ever aged, might still receive a reprimanding call or email.  If the word gets out, their research collaborators might maneuver to keep their names off joint papers.

(August 7, 2019 at 6:33 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

Quote:I think the only intellectual character in pop culture in recent years has been Hannibal Lector.

Sheldon Cooper.

Boru

Isn't that character supposed to be autistic or something? 

As I understand it, he's supposed to be smart at math, but other than that he's a comic book geek. So, not someone who's interested in ideas at all.

Not to detract from the fish/mammal debate, but I got a haircut yesterday and my barber informed me that solar panels are heating up the sun, and that's what is causing global warming....

(August 7, 2019 at 5:22 pm)Belaqua Wrote:

(August 7, 2019 at 6:33 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: Sheldon Cooper.

Boru

Isn't that character supposed to be autistic or something? 

As I understand it, he's supposed to be smart at math, but other than that he's a comic book geek. So, not someone who's interested in ideas at all.

The character has extensive knowledge of physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, astronomy, cosmology, economics, electronics, computers, vexillology, linguistics, geology, (American) football, trains, comic books, contract law and science fiction.  He speaks English, Klingon, Mandarin, Swedish, Hindi and Finnish. He dances well and plays piano, bongos, recorder and theremin.

I'm pretty sure you can't be so well-versed in so many different subjects without having a marked degree of interest in the ideas behind them. If someone with that skill set doesn't qualify as an intellectual, he'll do until one comes along.

Boru

(August 7, 2019 at 5:22 pm)Belaqua Wrote:

(August 7, 2019 at 6:33 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: Sheldon Cooper.

Boru

Isn't that character supposed to be autistic or something? 

As I understand it, he's supposed to be smart at math, but other than that he's a comic book geek. So, not someone who's interested in ideas at all.

What about autism precludes one from being an intellectual? Or do you mean "autistic" in a non-clinical sense?

(August 7, 2019 at 5:42 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

(August 7, 2019 at 5:22 pm)Belaqua Wrote: Isn't that character supposed to be autistic or something? 

As I understand it, he's supposed to be smart at math, but other than that he's a comic book geek. So, not someone who's interested in ideas at all.

The character has extensive knowledge of physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, astronomy, cosmology, economics, electronics, computers, vexillology, linguistics, geology, (American) football, trains, comic books, contract law and science fiction.  He speaks English, Klingon, Mandarin, Swedish, Hindi and Finnish. He dances well and plays piano, bongos, recorder and theremin.

I'm pretty sure you can't be so well-versed in so many different subjects without having a marked degree of interest in the ideas behind them. If someone with that skill set doesn't qualify as an intellectual, he'll do until one comes along.

Boru

I've never seen the show, only clips, so my knowledge of Sheldon lore is lacking. 

I'd like to specify a difference between someone who knows facts and someone who thinks about the significance, connections, and wisdom of ideas.

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(August 7, 2019 at 5:45 pm)Grandizer Wrote: What about autism precludes one from being an intellectual? Or do you mean "autistic" in a non-clinical sense?

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that an autistic person can't be intellectual. 

I just want to distinguish between a person who can calculate the day of the week of any date in history, and a person who takes seriously and spends time on thoughtful ideas -- that kind of thing. 

The Hannibal Lector movies go out of their way to show that he is knowledgable about literature, music, etc. These are things that fascinate through their intellectual and emotional connections. Comic books, Star Wars, etc., are about what's "cool." There is no depth.

(August 7, 2019 at 6:00 pm)Belaqua Wrote:

(August 7, 2019 at 5:42 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: The character has extensive knowledge of physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, astronomy, cosmology, economics, electronics, computers, vexillology, linguistics, geology, (American) football, trains, comic books, contract law and science fiction.  He speaks English, Klingon, Mandarin, Swedish, Hindi and Finnish. He dances well and plays piano, bongos, recorder and theremin.

I'm pretty sure you can't be so well-versed in so many different subjects without having a marked degree of interest in the ideas behind them. If someone with that skill set doesn't qualify as an intellectual, he'll do until one comes along.

Boru

I've never seen the show, only clips, so my knowledge of Sheldon lore is lacking. 

I'd like to specify a difference between someone who knows facts and someone who thinks about the significance, connections, and wisdom of ideas.

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(August 7, 2019 at 5:45 pm)Grandizer Wrote: What about autism precludes one from being an intellectual? Or do you mean "autistic" in a non-clinical sense?

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that an autistic person can't be intellectual. 

I just want to distinguish between a person who can calculate the day of the week of any date in history, and a person who takes seriously and spends time on thoughtful ideas -- that kind of thing. 

The Hannibal Lector movies go out of their way to show that he is knowledgable about literature, music, etc. These are things that fascinate through their intellectual and emotional connections. Comic books, Star Wars, etc., are about what's "cool." There is no depth.

I see.  So, when Hannibal Lecter is knowledgeable about literature and music, he's an intellectual.  When Sheldon Cooper does it, he's a comic book geek.

Special plead much? And, by the by, it's 'Lecter', not 'Lector'.

Boru

(August 7, 2019 at 5:42 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

(August 7, 2019 at 5:22 pm)Belaqua Wrote: Isn't that character supposed to be autistic or something? 

As I understand it, he's supposed to be smart at math, but other than that he's a comic book geek. So, not someone who's interested in ideas at all.

The character has extensive knowledge of physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, astronomy, cosmology, economics, electronics, computers, vexillology, linguistics, geology, (American) football, trains, comic books, contract law and science fiction.  He speaks English, Klingon, Mandarin, Swedish, Hindi and Finnish. He dances well and plays piano, bongos, recorder and theremin.

I'm pretty sure you can't be so well-versed in so many different subjects without having a marked degree of interest in the ideas behind them. If someone with that skill set doesn't qualify as an intellectual, he'll do until one comes along.

Boru

I would suggest that not only does he qualify as an intellectual, he probably would be considered a polymath.

(August 7, 2019 at 6:13 pm)Jackalope Wrote:

(August 7, 2019 at 5:42 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: The character has extensive knowledge of physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, astronomy, cosmology, economics, electronics, computers, vexillology, linguistics, geology, (American) football, trains, comic books, contract law and science fiction.  He speaks English, Klingon, Mandarin, Swedish, Hindi and Finnish. He dances well and plays piano, bongos, recorder and theremin.

I'm pretty sure you can't be so well-versed in so many different subjects without having a marked degree of interest in the ideas behind them. If someone with that skill set doesn't qualify as an intellectual, he'll do until one comes along.

Boru

I would suggest that not only does he qualify as an intellectual, he probably would be considered a polymath.

I apologize for not understanding that this fictional character is, in fact, a deeply learned and wise individual. I hope that Sheldon has not suffered harm from this, and can forgive me for misrepresenting him.

(August 7, 2019 at 6:22 pm)Belaqua Wrote:

(August 7, 2019 at 6:13 pm)Jackalope Wrote: I would suggest that not only does he qualify as an intellectual, he probably would be considered a polymath.

I apologize for not understanding that this fictional character is, in fact, a deeply learned and wise individual. I hope that Sheldon has not suffered harm from this, and can forgive me for misrepresenting him.

And I'm sure the International Brotherhood Of Serial Cannibals will appreciate your approbation of Dr. Lecter.

Boru