Yes, they do. So do I, for that matter. While my part of the company focuses more on government projects like water plants, fuel depots, and utility management, the rest of the company does process automation in the energy sector. That's a fancy way of saying they build control systems for refineries.

I disagree with your assertion that more thought leads to less conservatism. The particular coworker I'm talking about does quite a bit of thinking, and is quite eloquent. He's still wrong, of course, but it's due to his opinions, his priorities, and what he chooses to believe more than a lack of thought.