In my school WhatsApp group, just like yours, there are old friends of all hues, moods, and temperaments. During one of the idle discussions a friend got peeved at another one’s logical arguments and said, “You engineers know nothing. Two plus two is not always equal to four!” The friend, who had taken offence, is a PhD in liberal arts and can’t be taken lightly. But the other guy too is an IITian and couldn’t be dismissed either.
Now, liberal arts scholars, whether from social science, political science or international relations tend to look down upon engineers. No doubt liberal arts is an important educational and intellectual input to the society. It provides a solid ground for studying social behaviour, diagnosis of discords, resolving international turmoils, and tells us how to eliminate suffering that we see all around. Engineers (and Scientists, and mathematicians, and Doctors) provide the tools to achieve what the liberal arts prescribe. They provide the machines, means of production, enhanced agriculture, cure the sick and bring about a general improvement in quality of life. Engineers and Scientists, unfortunately, also create means and weapons of destruction, which the liberal arts scholars attempt to keep sheathed.
But, my objection to the two-plus-two argument, which is often flaunted by the social scientist to quieten the argumentative engineer, is a fundamental one. Why use the language of the engineer, viz. mathematics to beat him? The engineer, or the scientist doesn’t get that argument at all. For him two plus two always equals four. The debate then goes into a spin and ends up with the engineer frustrated and the social scientist flustered.
Let’s get it right once again - two plus two always equals four. So, by negating the kindergarten arithmetic no argument can be won. If a social scientist does lean on algebra to buttress his complex social debate, let him come up with his own equations with social variables, such as:
rich + rich = super rich
(rich + poor)/2 = middle class
intelligent+stupid = mediocre
fascism + suffrage = benign dictatorship
We engineers will understand them perfectly.