> This paper seems like a pretty accurate description of everything that
> is wrong with mathematical teaching, and society at large.

Although it did leave me wondering for a moment: Am I actually "good at 
math"? Or am I just good at following directions?

> People seem
> to think that mathematics is about moving symbols around on a sheet of
> paper according to a set of complex and technical rules.

By contrast, this paper seems to assert that mathematics is about 
constructing abstractions and building theories out of them as a matter 
of creativity. Obviously I've never seen any cutting-edge mathematics 
(and I never will), but I've always thought of mathematics looking at 
interesting systems and discovering their properties, out of simple 
human curiosity. Certainly that's why *I* explore mathematics; it's the 
desire to know everything about everything.

(Well, "everything" is an exaggeration. There are plenty of fields of 
mathematics that are so utterly boring that you have to wonder why 
anybody studies them - set theory, number theory, category theory, etc.)

The paper, on the other hand, likes it sound like doing mathematics is 
like modern art - an essentially empty and pointless exercise designed 
to impress art critics and other artists, in the style of the Emperor's 
Magical Suit. And here I was thinking it was about furthering mankind's 
knowledge...

Seriously. I enjoy exploring mathematical ideas just for the hell of it. 
But you just never know when this stuff will end up being useful.

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

Post a reply to this message