If you ask on this forum what characterises engineering quite a few answers will say "engineers are problem solvers" (want me to quote some names - post an additional info?). This implies, as you say, that those answerers consider them to be the only problem solvers otherwise it would not characterise.
In fact I more than agree with your implication in thinking that almost everyone is a problem solver. Housewives, doctors, lawyers, dentists, shopkeepers, bus drivers, garbage collectors, entertainers, teachers, administrators, pilots, waiters, prostitutes - in fact anyone except perhaps kids, oldies, bankers and politicians solves more problems than they create.
Let's hope a few more engineers begin to realise where they stand and understand what they're doing in relation to others' efforts.
Never heard that before, yes engineers have to solve problems but as you say I can think of many careers which solve problems.
I work with quite a few engineers who cause a lot of problems, but i've never met any that claim they are the only ones who can solve them. It is true that they may be better at solving them then a lot of other people.
Never heard that before and I've been an engineer for 20 years.
I think this only applies to engineers? that do a few months training at a collage and come out waving a piece of paper, not time served engineers
I am an engineer, I have never said that. I work with engineers every day and I have never heard them say that. All my years in the field of engineering I have never heard or thought that.
After more than 40 years in the industry, I've never heard such a claim.
Nope... I've never heard any engineer claim that either...
I can think of many careers which solves problems.
