[fragmede]

> Throwing new prompts at a machine with built-in randomness to see if one sticks is DEFINITELY not engineering.

Where does all the knowledge, laws of physics, and rules learned over many years to predictably design and build things come from, if not by throwing things at the wall and looking at what sticks and what does not, and then building a model based on the differences between what stuck and what did not, and then deriving a theory of stickiness and building up a set of rules on how things work?

"Remember kids, the only difference between screwing around and science is writing it down." -Adam Savage

[galbar]

They come from science. Engineering applies laws, concepts and knowledge discovered through science. Engineering and science are not the same, they are different disciplines with different outcome expectations.

[jwr]

Great explanation of the difference, thank you! Nothing to add.

[4ndrewl]

Your analogy would work if eg gravity randomly changed, or on occasion disappeared entirely until you pointed it out.

"Great point, you're absolutely correct - things should not be floating around like that." - ChatGPT (probably)