Which term is better, 'physicist' or 'natural philosopher?'

[Eeezee]

They mean the same thing, but 'physicist' wasn't coined until the 1800s according to one of my E&M textbooks.

 

[SirStev0]

Are you trying to sneakily argue that physical laws aren't real?

 

[OUCaptain]

Physicist.. they show proof in numbers.

Now a theoretical physicist on the other hand...

 

[Epic Fail]

Given no one uses natural philosopher anymore, there is no contest.

 

[IronWing]

There ain't nothing natural about physicists.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
Physicist.. they show proof in numbers.

Now a theoretical physicist on the other hand...

I'd say the same thing.
I'd never use the term 'natural philosopher' unless it was a theoretical physicist. Due to my understanding of philosophers, I'd never apply that term to a physicist.

 

[Throckmorton]

Natural philosopher was the term for ALL scientists, not just physicists.

 

[IronWing]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Natural philosopher was the term for ALL scientists, not just physicists.

Physicists think they are the only scientists.