Richard P. Feynman (who else!) had a scathing critique of this: http://calteches.library.caltech.edu/2362/1/feynman.pdf http://calteches.library.caltech.edu/236

Richard P. Feynman (who else!) had a scathing critique of this: http://calteches.library.caltech.edu/2362/1/feynman.pdf http://calteches.library.caltech.edu/2362/1/feynman.pdf To quote him, in reference to new mathematics of the post-Sputnik era, "In regard to this question of words, there is also in the new mathematics books a great deal of talk about the value of precise language - such things as that one must be very careful to distinguish a number from a numeral and, in general, a symbol from the object that it represents. The real problem in speech is not precise language. The problem is clear language. The desire is to have the idea clearly communicated to the other person. It is only necessary to be precise when there is some doubt as to the meaning of a phrase, and then the precision should be put in the place where the doubt exists."