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I think that "math is what it is" is a false statement, at least in the way you intended it. The way math is represented is not at all inherent to mathematical
by araneae 17y ago
I think that "math is what it is" is a false statement, at least in the way you intended it. The way math is represented is not at all inherent to mathematical structure (i.e. left to right, the characters you use, etc.) and I'm sure many procedures we use to solve math equations could be done in different ways (long division vs. short division, for example).
It is possible that the way we represent math and the way we solve mathematical problems is somehow inherently more difficult for females, and that a different system might better.
But I have no idea what system that would be, and practically I don't think it's worth it.
- timwiseman 17y agoIf such a system could be created then it would be invaluable. It would help open up mathematics to literally half the population. That would help more advances to be made in mathematics, and it should be trivial to translate from one system to another once the two systems were created. With all that said, I do not think it is true. I very much doubt anything about our approach to mathematics is inherently gender biased and as a current grad student in math I find the gender ratios in the classes I am taking are biased towards males, but only minutely. (5 males, 4 females in my Comp Func Theory class for instance, 6 males, 5 females in another I am taking). While our representation and symbology is of our choosing, the concepts of mathematics are what they are and we must approach them on their terms if we hope to make progress.