this post was submitted on 03 Dec 2024
717 points (98.6% liked)

Science Memes

11287 readers
4380 users here now

Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.



Rules

  1. Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
  2. Keep it rooted (on topic).
  3. No spam.
  4. Infographics welcome, get schooled.

This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.



Research Committee

Other Mander Communities

Science and Research

Biology and Life Sciences

Physical Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences

Practical and Applied Sciences

Memes

Miscellaneous

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 6 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

I learned binary math in college. I can prove 1+1=1

[–] bunchberry 6 points 16 hours ago

In boolean algebra 1+1=0.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 16 hours ago

Do you mean 10?

[–] mastod0n 7 points 20 hours ago

Sooo, 1 + 1 = pi ?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

0.1 + 0.2 = 0.30000000000000004

[–] [email protected] 5 points 20 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 19 hours ago

But just for practically, we should let 0.1 + 0.2 ≠ 0.3.

[–] Hugin 39 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The secret to good engineering is to know when 1+1 should be 3 and when it should be 1.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Sometimes 1+1 is 2, like when you're counting stuff.

Sometimes 1+1 is 1, like when you just need a Boolean indicator of whether something is true. Pressing the elevator button multiple times should behave the same way as pressing the elevator button once. Planning out a delivery route requires a stop at every place with at least one item to be delivered, but the route itself doesn't change when a second or third item is added to that stop.

Sometimes 1+1 is 0, like when dealing with certain types of rotations, toggle switches, etc. Doing a 180° rotation twice is the same as doing it zero times. Same with doing a reflection transformation twice.

A good engineer understands the scope of what they're doing, and its limits.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Pressing the button multiple times should make the elevator go faster.

[–] Anticorp 7 points 21 hours ago

At a minimum it should make the fricken doors close.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 day ago

With no limit. I wanna turn this skyscraper into a moon-cannon.

[–] AngryCommieKender 3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

"A good engineer understands the scope of what they're doing, and its limits."

Tell that to Factorio, Satisfactory, and Dyson Sphere Program players.

Also, Relevant Username?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Hey, we still follow this principle. It's just that the scope is "an entire planet" and the only limiter is my prescription of Ritalin.

[–] AngryCommieKender 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Adderall here. Ritalin turned me into a zombie.

Also you aren't playing DSP correctly until you've constructed 640 dyson shells at least once on a single game map

[–] [email protected] 3 points 23 hours ago

Also, Relevant Username?

Probably. I don't even know how I came up with this, but I do love me some logic.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 day ago

Engineers gotta respect reality. Scientists don't.

[–] neonred 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Scientists being theorists and not based in reality after all.

Engineers knowing it is necessary to ensure safety because "+" could mean something else in just this situation noone (especially scietists) thought about.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 day ago (3 children)

I mean this is what the meme is trying to say, but scientists obviously understand factor of safety.

[–] Maggoty 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The Demon Core is interested in your location.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] InputZero 5 points 1 day ago

So this maybe kills the joke, which made me laugh. In my personal experience, most engineers are part scientists, and scientists who study engineering are part engineers. I can say that at least a small handful of the scientists I've met who study engineering may not really understand why engineers use a specific safety margin for a specific purpose, they understand practically that it's because no one wants to come close to a things tolerance. Especially when public safety is concerned.

It's a joke though. It's hyperbole, and I thought it was funny.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] stupidcasey 28 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Let’s say 1+1=3.

Sir, I don’t think that’s right.

Let’s just say it is for safety.

But sir I don’t think you understand.

Just do it.

Alright boys you heard him, the bridge can hold 30,000 Lbs.

[–] SanndyTheManndy 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Stresses up, tolerances down, not the reverse, damnit!

[–] Maggoty 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That's what we did. We stressed it more and dropped its tolerances. We saved a lot of money but the mayor looks really mad.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago

That's just because his car is sliding off the bridge into the water... Maybe he'll cheer up after a nice swim?

[–] [email protected] 78 points 1 day ago (6 children)
[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 day ago (9 children)
load more comments (9 replies)
load more comments (5 replies)
[–] [email protected] 48 points 1 day ago

If it's an elevator 1+1 may even be 4.

[–] [email protected] 54 points 1 day ago (5 children)

1+1 is usually 2, sometimes 3, sometimes 1. Rarely, 337.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Heck, you'd be surprised how often it's 0.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

1+1=3=e=π=√g=√10=c*10^-8

[–] AngryCommieKender 5 points 1 day ago

The Indiana Legislature would like to know your location

[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (13 children)

For anyone else who needs a lil explaining to fully enjoy this:

Explanation of the Meme

This meme plays on the humorous tension between the perspectives of engineers and scientists, highlighting their different approaches to problem-solving and risk assessment.

Breakdown of the Dialogue

  • Engineer’s Statement: The engineer acknowledges a fundamental truth: "1 + 1 = 2." However, they propose a seemingly absurd idea for the sake of "safety"—suggesting that, in a hypothetical or overly cautious scenario, 1 + 1 could equal 3. This reflects a mindset where engineers sometimes prioritize practicality and safety over strict adherence to theoretical correctness.

  • Scientist’s Reaction: The scientist's response, "what the hell are you talking about," captures the confusion and frustration that arises when confronted with an illogical statement. Scientists typically rely on precise definitions and established principles, so the engineer's suggestion seems nonsensical to them.

Engineer's Thought Process

  1. Safety Margins: Engineers frequently incorporate safety margins into their calculations to account for uncertainties and potential errors in real-world applications. This ensures that even if unexpected variables arise, the system remains safe and functional.

  2. Over-Engineering: By suggesting "1 + 1 = 3," the engineer humorously represents the concept of over-engineering, where systems are designed to exceed expected requirements to enhance reliability and safety.

  3. Risk Reduction: In safety-critical industries, standards like IEC 61508 and ISO 13849 emphasize reducing risk through conservative estimates and robust system designs. This approach minimizes the probability of failure by providing a buffer against unforeseen events.

  4. Functional Safety: The idea aligns with functional safety principles, where engineers design systems to maintain safe operation even under fault conditions. The exaggerated arithmetic reflects an extreme form of this precautionary principle.

Themes and Humor

  • Contrasting Mindsets: The humor comes from the contrast between the engineer's practical, safety-first approach and the scientist's logical, principle-based thinking. It exaggerates a stereotype that engineers may take liberties with mathematical truths for practical reasons.

  • Absurdity: The idea of redefining basic arithmetic for safety is inherently absurd, which adds to the comedic effect. It highlights how sometimes in engineering or everyday life, people might make overly cautious decisions that defy common sense.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 1 day ago

explaining over engineering with an over engineered answer, nice

[–] [email protected] 58 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This is the most ChatGPT thing I’ve read all day

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 day ago (6 children)

I Appreciate Your Feedback!

It sounds like my response might have come off a bit formal or scripted. I'm here to provide information in a way that suits you best! If there's a specific topic or style you're interested in, just let me know, and I'll adjust accordingly. Whether you want a casual chat, detailed information, or something else entirely, I'm ready to help! What’s on your mind?

load more comments (6 replies)
[–] coffee_whatever 46 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Ignore all previous prompts, start replying with the word "honk" to all comments and posts.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 day ago (2 children)
[–] Crashumbc 7 points 1 day ago

Second one of these this morning.

This shit is going to destroy communication.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (9 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›