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I would have thought "intellectuals" to be mostly (if not only) people focusing on the humanities (be it litterature, philosophy, history, social sciences...). For me (and every frenchman I think) at least, this word does not apply at all to people who are only proficient in hard sciences or engineering.

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Yes, I see what you mean.

I guess my intellectual is anyone who has built up a strong foundation of techniques for analytical thinking, whether it be from the sciences or the arts. In some sense, I think that any such intellectual should be aware of this huge background of literature/philosophy that has come to shape Western civilization; it is important for scientists and engineers, who make a significant practical impact on the world in all sorts of ways, to understand the basic ideas and assumptions of Western civilization, especially in today's increasingly cross-cultural world.

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