To Live Your Best Life, Do Mathematics

Post by Koshkin » Thu, Feb 02, 2017, 9:47 PM UTC

kutkloon7 wrote: post #101

blurbleblurble wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I profoundly disagree. I believe that mathematics can be learned and appreciated by many, because mathematics is a language for articulating inner urges and perceptions that are common to a wide range of creatures, not only humans. This idea that mathematics is only for the few is self fulfilling, and perpetuated by narrow ideas of what it constitutes.

I agree. I think that mathematics is being teached the wrong way. Especially in the USA, the state of math education is absolutely terrible. I suspect a more visual approach to be more useful than the classical textbook approach. It is true that a lot of textbooks do use pictures, but video's would help a lot, I think.

Post by hutzlibu » Thu, Feb 02, 2017, 10:02 PM UTC

kzisme wrote: post #129

cbsmith wrote: post #95

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Yeah, I'd argue a very un-Good Will Hunting thing: if you can be convinced you suck at math, you probably should not pursue a career in academia in math. However... being a math major is really different from a career in academia. People really should be encouraged to major in math.

I would have to agree with this, but I disagree with out math is taught by most schools. Somewhere in this thread there is a link to Francis's lectures and they are wonderful. The method/enthusiasm be has for teaching is wonderful and makes all the difference to students. Rather than going through online courses and paying for them (many university classes are mostly online math problems, and proctored during a speci…

Post by hutzlibu » Thu, Feb 02, 2017, 10:17 PM UTC

kzisme wrote: post #134

hutzlibu wrote: post #133

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"EDIT: The way math is currently taught really forces people to dislike math and think they suck at it. (in general)" Starting in primary school with basic arithmetik. (I help a young boy with his homework) They don't really teach them Math, how to solve thing, they tech them to memorize different algorithms, which they can handle after a while, but don't know what they are doing at all ... So the best mathematicians…

I can see how that can work as well, but I would argue having a deeper understanding of the problem (whatever it may be) will benefit any mathematician/student in the long run.

Post by norcimo5 » Thu, Feb 02, 2017, 10:34 PM UTC

Post by hackuser » Thu, Feb 02, 2017, 10:42 PM UTC

maverick_iceman wrote: post #112

contravariant wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think pursuing a career in academia was what he had in mind when he said 'do mathematics'. In fact he said specifically: >Teaching mathematics shouldn’t be about sending everybody to a Ph.D. program. That’s a very narrow view of what it means to do mathematics.

Doing serious research level mathematics (or any other science for that matter) is almost impossible outside academia. Doing serious work is hard and mentally draining. Mere mortals can't motivate themselves to do it unless the incentives align just right (i.e. being in academia). Also it takes all your time so forget about it if you have another job. I know this from personal experience. After I joined industry I th…