Why Do So Many Terrorists Have Engineering Degrees

Socguy noted that Slate is apparently a little desperate for some traffic as they are writing about"Why so many of the terrorists have engineering degrees, and they come to the conclusion that engineers and engineering students are much more likely to hold strong conservative and religious views than a general cross section of the public. Further, engineers tend to hold a particular mind-set that disdains ambiguity and compromise. Terrorist organizations have long recognized that engineering departments are fertile ground for recruitment and have concentrated their efforts there. A 2005 report from British intelligence noted that Islamic extremists were frequenting college campuses, looking for 'inquisitive' students who might be susceptible to their message. In particular, the report noted, they targeted engineers."

Comments

Simple answer, wrong question.

[rickb928]

You sould be asking why so many terrorists have college degrees.

It is not causality.

Colleges worldwide are infested with left-wing socialist professors. No surprise that their graduates are at least open to the suggestion that these views deserve their support and adoption.

And recruitment is greatly simplified, in an ostensibly open, 'free speech' environment. Tenure insulates many professors from productive criticism. Salt in a few motiviated believers, and most any political/religious movement has ready-made converts.

Except, of course, for the more conventional movements, which are of course discredited continually. But that's part of the process. Understood.

Re:Simple answer, wrong question.

[rickb928]

Well, some probably do, but it's the recruiters that see colleges as friendly territory.

Many a left-wing Progressive doesn't seem to realize that the Left is largely co-opted by what we right-wingers call terrorists. The ones that have given on politics and prefer to use violence to further their causes without the intervening diplomacy and posturing.

Mind you, the Right can resort to violence also. We just hate the labels.

Re:EE times came to a similar conclusion

[MrMr]

Just guessing: It makes them feel better about themselves.
As in 'at least were dumb enough to pose no risk whatsoever'

Re:Obvious answer?

[brian0918]

Moral outlook and intelligence don't seem to be very strongly related at all.

Blame the widespread acceptance of altruism, by far the unquestionable default morality of the world, which promotes a "greater good" or "brother's keeper" value that supersedes one's own life and personal value system.

Hypocrisy

[Roger W Moore]

Meanwhile, most organized religions are just plain stupid, since they believe logically inconsistent nonsense (example, the notion that the purely physical process of cell-fertilization can cause a nonphysical entity like a soul to begin to exist, or even more stupidly, force God to create a soul for it).

....and yet as a reincarnationist you believe that "this purely physical process" causes a pre-existing soul to be placed into the body. Could you explain how this is significantly different given that we have no physical knowledge of souls? While you are at it, it would also be nice to know how you explain the increasing number of souls...I suppose you could have some spare ones floating around but then does that mean you think there is a maximum number of living entities possible in the Universe at any one time?

If you are going to attack other people's belief's as "logically inconsistent" it might be nice to check that your own beliefs don't fall clearly into that category.