that’s an interesting observation but not sure that you are...

that’s an interesting observation but not sure that you are correct. I work with engineers and have worked with engineers and scientists on and off over many decades.

I’m not sure what you mean by the term critical thinking but this is a definition that roughly coincides with mine and is similar to many other versions

Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action

I haven’t seen much evidence that this group is necessarily much better than many others. Nor is it necessarily linked to underlying intellectual capability (based on scores across inductive, verbal and numerical reasoning). In fact because engineers are often solution driven they have a tendency to dive into providing solutions to a problem they haven’t adequately defined

there’s a reason that large infrastructure projects fail and much of it has to do with poor definition of scope and stakeholder expectations. Both involve a measure of critical thinking

it is also one thing to follow and established methodology - which is essentially what the scientific method /principles are - and apply intellectual rigour more broadly

hotcopper is riddled with assumptions, beliefs, non sequitors, and poor evidence - a microcosm of society many of whom decry the humanities yet show themselves to be subject to blind prejudice