Why is there even a need for a debate. Both worlds are completely different. Modelers make models, they make it either to use in-house, or to sell to people like us. Many modelers don't have a clue how to rig something, or how to animate. And many animators can't model anything.

What we do here is 3D art. It's just as valid as fractals, photo painting, modern art, etc (I do admire traditional painters and sculpters more because it takes so much more to do it all with no undo button but that's another story).

As for "3D art" being just a hobbyist thing, again that's BS. Every month there's plenty of reports of publications using Poser characters for illustrations, we also have plenty of people here who have exposed their art in art fairs, and made some money from it, and of course there's the whole marketplace side of things. Go to some of the Florida outdoor art shows and you'll see an interesting trend with 3D artists becoming a regular part of the exposition.

So again, it's 2 very different worlds, but both use 3D and both are just as justified.To say there are crappy Poser renders is totally true. But I've seen crappy 3D models in "professional" games too.  And I've seen some breathtaking pieces made in Poser also. As long as someone who just uses Poser doesn't claim they modeled everything they do, or that modelers don't claim their level of superiority is directly relative to their skill with 3DS MAX, everything will be fine.