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Blogs > natturner
Post a Reply
natturner
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
342 Posts
March 31 2010 02:43 GMT
#1
So, for an exercise in school, we are having a debate and the topic is: Engineers are more capable than lawyers of being competent politicians. I've been asked to argue against it. I could use some help in coming up with some arguments. Any ideas?

This nigga done stole my bike.
Bibbit
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
Canada5377 Posts
March 31 2010 02:48 GMT
#2
Lawyers are are actually like trained in the art of not being an idiot. Obviously engineers are really smart as well but like the entire purpose of a lawyer is to not completely drop the ball.
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24803 Posts
March 31 2010 02:50 GMT
#3
Isn't it all hypothetical? Find me a competent politician!

But seriously, you might want to focus on the fact that engineers receive no training on dealing with other people. Much of the specialization of engineers is not or rarely applicable to being a politician most of the time unlike a lawyer. Not that I necessarily feel that way overall but just an idea.
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
Mortality
Profile Blog Joined December 2005
United States4790 Posts
March 31 2010 02:51 GMT
#4
Well, it probably is a true statement that engineers would be better, but people don't often vote engineers into office. Why is that? Perhaps thinking on that would give you a good starting ground.

But in any case, winning a debate has absolutely nothing to do with being in the right or even having valid points. Winning a debate is all about knowing when to press your opponent and getting good at the Chewbacca defense.

As much as you study your side of the issue, you should study your opponents so that you can predict his moves and outgun him.

And if you're reading between the lines, you now know why lawyers make "better" politicians.
Even though this Proleague bullshit has been completely bogus, I really, really, really do not see how Khan can lose this. I swear I will kill myself if they do. - nesix before KHAN lost to eNature
Mortality
Profile Blog Joined December 2005
United States4790 Posts
March 31 2010 02:53 GMT
#5
On March 31 2010 11:48 Bibbit wrote:
Lawyers are are actually like trained in the art of not being an idiot. Obviously engineers are really smart as well but like the entire purpose of a lawyer is to not completely drop the ball.


Congratulations on successfully being duped by like every politician ever. What lawyers are good at is making it look like they aren't being an idiot even when they are.
Even though this Proleague bullshit has been completely bogus, I really, really, really do not see how Khan can lose this. I swear I will kill myself if they do. - nesix before KHAN lost to eNature
lazz
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Australia3119 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-31 02:59:55
March 31 2010 02:57 GMT
#6
most engineers would make terrible politicians.

politics is all about being good looking, being charismatic, and not minding lieing through your teeth

the profession of benig a lawyer is more in line with these things ^^^^ while being an engineer is more about analysis and actually solving shit, stuff you dont need for politics
Bibbit
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
Canada5377 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-31 03:03:27
March 31 2010 03:01 GMT
#7
On March 31 2010 11:53 Mortality wrote:
Show nested quote +
On March 31 2010 11:48 Bibbit wrote:
Lawyers are are actually like trained in the art of not being an idiot. Obviously engineers are really smart as well but like the entire purpose of a lawyer is to not completely drop the ball.


Congratulations on successfully being duped by like every politician ever. What lawyers are good at is making it look like they aren't being an idiot even when they are.


Well if you're debating for why lawyers are good, you probably shouldn't mention that.

But its definitely true enough and anyone making the argument that I said would need to be prepared for what you said.

Edit: To lazz, what you said is definitely true for how politics actually works. But what I believe the OP is concerned with is whether engineers would actually be better hypothetically (like how well they would represent the people/ pass actually good rather than well liked laws)
Caller
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
Poland8075 Posts
March 31 2010 03:16 GMT
#8
engineers would be far more useful not to be politicians, i.e. comparative advantage

yay economics
Watch me fail at Paradox: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=397564
Jibba
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
United States22883 Posts
March 31 2010 03:18 GMT
#9
http://www.orwell.ru/library/articles/science/english/e_scien
ModeratorNow I'm distant, dark in this anthrobeat
sc4k
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
United Kingdom5454 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-31 04:22:30
March 31 2010 04:13 GMT
#10
my experience of engineers and lawyers tells me they are basically the same in terms of drive and competence, but lawyers are more words-based and therefore probably better at reading bills and thinking up arguments; whereas engineers would be better at building cranes and bridges, a skill which although very handy isn't particularly necessary in public office.

Edit: Jibba that article is very interesting and absorbing thanks for sharing
illu
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
Canada2531 Posts
March 31 2010 04:33 GMT
#11
Engineers make horrible politicians. I think it's fairly obvious.
:]
DefMatrixUltra
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Canada1992 Posts
March 31 2010 04:43 GMT
#12
Engineers would be terrible politicians because they wouldn't last 5 minutes. Instant ragequit. It's in their blood to accomplish something and to do something useful.
motbob
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
United States12546 Posts
March 31 2010 04:54 GMT
#13
OK, I think I have a good angle for you to use.

In the world of politics, the "ideal" politician is one who makes the right choice on any issue regardless of the popularity of that choice. Since the definition of "competent" is "having requisite or adequate ability or qualities," we can say that a competent politician is one who does the right thing.

But though the ideal politician may make unpopular but right choices, in the real world, making unpopular choices makes for short-lived terms in office. By the very definition of what an ideal politician is, there should be no "good" politician in office for more than one term!

A politician who wants to make the right choices but who feels constrained by an approaching election must make difficult choices about what good causes to sacrifice in order to stay in office and be able to do any good at all. Either that, or the politician must convince his constituency that the choices he made are best for the country/state/district.

Clearly, a lawyer would be able to handle both aspects above better than an engineer.
ModeratorGood content always wins.
Hot_Bid
Profile Blog Joined October 2003
Braavos36402 Posts
March 31 2010 05:04 GMT
#14
also, lawyers (especially ones that attended good law schools) already have knowledge of the political system and how legislation operates, and have often made personal connections to future judges, politicians, etc. a lot of current congressmen in the US have law degrees. i mean look at our president lol he was a law prof.
@Hot_Bid on Twitter - ESPORTS life since 2010 - http://i.imgur.com/U2psw.png
meaculpa
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
United States119 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-31 05:33:21
March 31 2010 05:31 GMT
#15
It's hard coming up with arguments for the right side? Lawyers are trained in the law, how government operates, and the history of the U.S government. Also they are trained to communicate which is important to politics. Engineers are trained in a little bit of applied math and the meat of their major, which depends on their specialization. None of that helps with politics.

I anticipate your opponents will just counter with stereotypes like 'engineers are smarter' and 'lawyers are crooked and evil'. If they go for something "look at how politicians are awful, this is because they're lawyers" then you will lose the debate simply because your classmates aren't very smart. But you can still quip in about how their team proves your point because a real engineer would be aware of basic statistical facts about samples and would not have made the argument they just did. But then he would have lost if he didn't make that argument, thus deceitful politics triumphs. You'll still lose though because your class thinks that if a 99% accurate lie detector says you lied when you denied being a rapist, then there is a 99% you are one.

P.S. Herbert Hoover was an engineer.
Blessed is the mind too small for doubt.
Carnivorous Sheep
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Baa?21247 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-31 07:29:01
March 31 2010 07:26 GMT
#16
Not sure how reelvant it is to your argument, but if you'll note, almost every single US president was either a lawyer or MBA graduate student.

China, in contrast, has many of its top leaders with science/engineering degrees. The president, Hu Jintao, has a hydraulic engineer degree, and I believe Wen Jiabao, the premier, has a geology/earth science postdoctorate degree. Their predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Zhu Rongji, were both electrical engineers. Xi Jinping, China's current heir-apparent, is a chemical engineer.
TranslatorBaa!
50bani
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Romania480 Posts
March 31 2010 11:20 GMT
#17
I don't think much of this is helping natturner. The idea is that engineers and lawyers have different mentalities and thought processes as shaped by their education. What are they? Make a list.

What is a Politician? Define this term thoroughly. Are we considering politics as the art/science of getting votes to attain office only, or execution in office on top of that as well?

Hope this helps you start.
I'm posting on twoplustwo because I have always been amazed at the level of talent that populates this site --- it's almost unparalleled on the Internet.
Kim_Hyun_Han
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
706 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-31 11:26:39
March 31 2010 11:25 GMT
#18
most engineers are too inteligent, to join politics
natturner
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
342 Posts
March 31 2010 22:25 GMT
#19
hmm, a couple of interesting points made. thanks guys
yea, i think an important part to this debate is defining what a "politician" is and what "competent" means. and then see how a lawyer and an engineer fit with that definition.
This nigga done stole my bike.
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