Re: Is this math test too easy?
From: Mxsmanic (mxsmanic_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 11/21/04
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Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 05:58:18 +0100
k wallace writes:
> the point is not "how exactly relevant is this to everyday life", but
> (as far as math is concerned), one learns good problem-solving skills,
> organized thinking, and some mental discipline. This is a good thing,
> no matter what one's field is.
But does one learn these things by studying math? I've seen no evidence
of it.
It's possible to learn math by rote, in a cookbook way, and in fact this
is how most people learn it. This is how most people learn everything.
But since the cookbook application of math has little application in
everyday life, this type of learning is largely useless.
> I agree that history and literature are not particularly 'useful' in a
> specific application context, but generally?
Historians and fans of great literature would take issue even with the
specific application context. Not because there is an objective reason
to do so, but simply because they like to think that literature and
history are useful and necessary, just as mathematicians like to think
that math is useful and necessary.
Anyway, yes, even generally, history and literature are not terribly
useful. I can't think of any case in which a knowledge of literature
has been useful to me except perhaps for understanding other references
in said literature, or for understanding a joke. History has never been
of any use to me, either.
> History can be good to know- to see the mistakes/lessons learned by
> others in the past, to know where one's origins are, etc.
What is the utility of knowing one's origins? And even if one is aware
of the mistakes made in past history, it does not appear that too many
people are capable of seeing the patterns of those past mistakes in
current events, even among those who should take a keen interest in
history, such as politicians.
> Literature can also teach new /different ways of thinking, I
> believe, and so is good for a well rounded education.
How does literature do this? It's mostly just fiction.
-- Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
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