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Whatever people may think what mathematicians think, this comment describes the real situation best as I've experienced it. Most pure mathematicians I've met/w
by kovac 6y ago
Whatever people may think what mathematicians think, this comment describes the real situation best as I've experienced it.
Most pure mathematicians I've met/worked with actually look down (in a jocular way) on applied mathematics/physics. When Lagrange reformulated Newtonian physics, he was very proud of the fact that he didn't use any diagrams and arrows showing forces in his paper. In fact, of all the Physics I've seen, I found Lagrange's work to be the most beautiful and elegant.
I love how the commenter put it as "Nature is of no consideration whatsoever in some fields of maths". I'd restate it as "Nature is of no consideration whatsoever in pure mathematics" and I'm quite sure that the pure mathematicians would agree.
- enriquto 6y ago> "Nature is of no consideration whatsoever in pure mathematics" and I'm quite sure that the pure mathematicians would agree. Only if you have the audacity to call Arnold "not a true pure mathematician"... He mockingly said that the parts of "so-called" mathematics that have no connection to nature are useless mental masturbation.
- spacedome 6y agoI agree this is a common sentiment among mathematicians, but this is a very modern perspective. If you look back 100 years ago to Hilbert, there was less distinction between physicists and mathematicians, much less the pure/applied rift that now exists. Arnol'd (who is referenced above) was one of the mathematicians who tried to keep this unity alive.
- guenthert 6y agohttps://xkcd.com/435/ https://xkcd.com/435/