why are scientists called scientists?

Question: why are scientists called scientists?

Asked by shannonxx to Alastair, Emma, Hywel, Keith, Vicki on 17 Jun 2010 in Categories: About.
- Alastair Sloan answered on 16 Jun 2010:
  
  Good question Shannon
  
  A scientist describes a person who uses systematic method to acquire knowledge using scientific method. The term scientist was first used by a English philosopher called William Whewell in 1833. It was a bit of a cheeky term back then but in 1840 he used it in a more serious way to describe culttivators of science in general as the British Association for the Advancement of Science wanted a term to describe their members
- Vicki Stevenson answered on 16 Jun 2010:
  
  The latin word for knowledge is ‘scientia’, so I guess that scientists got the name for gathering knowledge.
- Keith Brain answered on 16 Jun 2010:
  
  It comes from the Latin, “scientia”, which means “to know”. So a scientist, is someone who seems to know. This is a little broad, given that lots of other disciplines, like history, also seek “to know”, but I still think it’s a good word.
- Hywel Vaughan answered on 17 Jun 2010:
  
  Because we study science!
  Actually Shannon, a lot of us aren’t called ‘scientists’ at all – that is quite a broad term such as ‘engineer’. When you drill down, you have physicists, biologists, molecular biologists, chemists, mechanical engineers, industrial engineers, aerospace engineers… the list goes on and on and on!
- Emma Carter answered on 17 Jun 2010:
  
  Because they use the scientific method in their work. Is this a trick question??

Question: why are scientists called scientists?

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