> It would be interesting to know if there are corresponding hierarchies in subjects such as science, computer programming, or even music.
I think that you could probably apply the labels to just about any profession, or even hobby (I'm thinking of rock climbing as one close to my heart), and it might even be interesting, but it probably wouldn't have quite the same resonance: I don't think that there are many other fields where being rigorous is seen as an end in itself, and people already tend to think of post-rigorous proficiency in, say, music as a desireable state to reach.
I think that you could probably apply the labels to just about any profession, or even hobby (I'm thinking of rock climbing as one close to my heart), and it might even be interesting, but it probably wouldn't have quite the same resonance: I don't think that there are many other fields where being rigorous is seen as an end in itself, and people already tend to think of post-rigorous proficiency in, say, music as a desireable state to reach.