Knights Reborn

https://www.maa.org/external_archive/de ... Lament.pdf

A very interesting read for most. A must read if you are still in school.

@Fluffy So I've read the first few pages of the document. So far an intriguing read. Is this a book? "Lockhart's Lament" Does it only touch on the subject of math with regards to encouraging creativity?

@Rav I remember actually listening to a TED talk a couple years ago from Ken Robinson, shown to our class by my English teacher. I think it was called "Changing Paradigms", it was nice to see him question education standards and test-structure, but sadly the couple years after in high school didn't really reflect that enlightenment, at least not in our administration.

Wrong way to write

To be frank, I think the argument about math is somewhat ridiculous. To understand the more advanced topics, let's say calculus, you have to start at the beginning with addition and subtraction in elementary school. Math is not art, and to compare it with music and painting makes no sense -- art is subjective, math is not. As for this whole "not many students even study math at a higher level" garbage, it's already well established that every job in the workforce uses some kind of math on a daily basis and jobs that pay more and require more responsibility usually require a greater understanding of mathematical concepts.

I will certainly agree, however, that the way math is taught is not necessarily engaging and many students, and America as a whole, is not up to par in math.

@Uscari The whole argument uses math as the vehicle because it is perceived as the most logical and, more importantly, unambiguous of the scientific studies. Even advances in physics relies in part on trial and error, while math seems like it just 'exists' and is just waiting for someone to 'discover' it. To answer your question, yes. But the same argument can be substituted for any field of study and it would be equally valid.

@MM You are correct that more advanced study requires a solid foundation in the fundamentals. Indeed calculus is not taught earlier for this very reason.

Also correct that the way math is taught is completely and utterly boring.

However I'll have to stop you at "jobs that pay more and require more responsibility usually require a greater understanding of mathematical concepts." This is only half-true. And only because of semantics and societal aberrations.

But I'm going to parse your statement to mean "engineering, medical, construction". Truth is, these professions rely on experience and hand-me-down knowledge rather than first principles design far more than people realise.

I won't elaborate because it'll become a TLDR, but my source is 3 years in mechanical engineering, and about 20 friends in various fields of engineering.

The world was much rosier when I was young and ignorant.

@Rav Yes. School killed my creativity. Life killed a dream I dreamed.

Fluffy wrote:But I'm going to parse your statement to mean "engineering, medical, construction". Truth is, these professions rely on experience and hand-me-down knowledge rather than first principles design far more than people realise.

I am also in school for engineering and have worked at companies where I saw this firsthand. However, without some sort of background in math or the relevant topics, there's no basis for understanding the hand-me-down knowledge.

All truths. But that's a discussion for another time