Religious Like Behavior In Software Engineering

Do the same psychological (WetWare) factors that create religious beliefs and dogma also apply the software engineering field? We know that certain WetWare mechanisms result in people believing strange things or hold stubborn positions on issues.

My observation is that this characteristic of human nature is also present in software engineering and other professional disciplines. People fixate on some concept they hold dear and turn it into an absolute mantra. I have my pet technologies that I like to evangelize, but realize that it may be a subjective preference on my part. Some others may like it to if they know more about it, and that's why I like to promote them. However, that's different than implying some universal truth favors my pet tools. (I suppose one could argue that my belief that "best tool" is largely a subjective mind-fit thing is also stubbornly dogmatic.)

If you believe dogmatic tool/paradigm/principle obsession is about some other factor of human nature besides those that influence religious behavior, what evidence do you have? Or do you agree the same human foibles influence both?

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I agree, and think that it goes to professionalism, and hold a fast rule about behaviors and doing business with an individual. Child-like behavior goes to maturity; which goes to how the business transaction is likely to go; which goes to truthfulness and responsibility; which goes to professionalism. Only when forced to, do I do business with those that don't hold to my ideals of professional and reasonable behavior, and have been known to withdraw from arrangements and deals based on that criteria. When it comes to encountering certain behaviors BeenThereDoneThat applies, and have no interest in a redo of those horrors. Professionalism goes to reasonable and prudent.

It's not always possible or practical to choose every professional partner. Often one deals with groups, not single individuals such that every member fitting a certain standard is not likely. And in tough times, our choices may be reduced. See LieOrStreet.

But... becoming part of the problem instead of the solution, only means that you will have to encounter this issue with growing frequency instead of lessoning frequency. Is not ever a valid solution in my world, or really the real world. If we, the responsible adults, don't shape the world then the "others" will.

I do not see this as particularly found in software engineering vis-a-vis people in general. Any body of knowledge with practictioners gets this way - look at the various factional wars in academia - philosophy, literature, biology (gradualism vs punctuated equilibrium) etc.

It appears to affect IT more. Why gradualism vs punctuated equilibrium may create heated debates, it doesn't affect actual products and tools.