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This argument, that "higher math" is only for those few who are interested and capable, is infuriating. I detest utilitarian arguments, that something is worth

This argument, that "higher math" is only for those few who are interested and capable, is infuriating. I detest utilitarian arguments, that something is worth learning only because it is useful in my day-to-day. I haven't had the faintest use in my daily life for knowing anything about igneous rocks, sorghum, golgi bodies, Chandragupta Maurya, black holes, playing hockey. Yet, it would be singularly depressing to not know it or something to this level of detail. Second, regarding the argument that only a select few will be interested in ascending the peak and that the rest are content in the plains. While that is true, it takes a whole community of people interested in an area for there to be a star. A Messi or Usain Bolt comes out of having a sporting culture, in addition to athletic and soccer academies of a high enough standard.

autokad 10y ago
knowing about gogi bodies, hockey, and black holes is a personal choice, and it wouldnt be efficient to teach these topics in depth to everyone. needing higher level math is absolutely unnecessary for 99% of the working population, so the argument that our economy will fall to pieces unless we force high level calculus and trig on every student seems suspect. however, it is hurting america in an indirect way. we have an elitism going on that only students from top universities get dibs on the best and important positions out of college, and our graduates are becoming increasingly foreign, as american students aren't prepared to get 165+ math GRE scores.
- sriram_malhar 10y ago
  The specifics of hockey and golgi bodies are not important. Practically everything we learn in high school is unimportant for 99% of the working population. My point is that it is important for a culture to aim high. There is a reason why Israel produces way more innovation than Saudi Arabia, although most of the population in both countries has no use for calculus or igneous rocks.

autokad 10y ago

knowing about gogi bodies, hockey, and black holes is a personal choice, and it wouldnt be efficient to teach these topics in depth to everyone. needing higher level math is absolutely unnecessary for 99% of the working population, so the argument that our economy will fall to pieces unless we force high level calculus and trig on every student seems suspect. however, it is hurting america in an indirect way. we have an elitism going on that only students from top universities get dibs on the best and important positions out of college, and our graduates are becoming increasingly foreign, as american students aren't prepared to get 165+ math GRE scores.

sriram_malhar 10y ago
The specifics of hockey and golgi bodies are not important. Practically everything we learn in high school is unimportant for 99% of the working population. My point is that it is important for a culture to aim high. There is a reason why Israel produces way more innovation than Saudi Arabia, although most of the population in both countries has no use for calculus or igneous rocks.