Because you asked, I have been intrigued about the application of the title "engineer" to those without formal qualifications for quite some time.  Musk is far and away not the only one.
 
	And many "engineers" lack any kind of degree at all.
 
	Engineering didn't arise as an academic discipline until the mid-late 19th century.  Originally, it was taught in European military academies for those trained to provide infrastructure support to other units, ie "military engineering" and was just a part of military officer training, not a degree per se.  French universities, or a French university, adapted a curriculum for non-military students and called it "civil engineering."  And the field has become increasingly specialized ever since.
 
	I used to kind of resent the term "software engineer," but have to admit that it fits.
 
	I will say this about "atypical engineers," and that is that just being some wild-ass idea guy like Elmo is not engineering, period, paragraph.  To legitimately claim the title, I think you have to be involved in the nitty-gritty actual solution of problems.
 
	So there you go.  🤪🤪😬😬