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You've given one day-to-day example (garden fence) which requires only extremely elementary math, and then listed a bunch of stuff related to specialised career

You've given one day-to-day example (garden fence) which requires only extremely elementary math, and then listed a bunch of stuff related to specialised career paths... which was the OP's original qualifier: > outside of certain career choices. As someone who did a lot of calculus in university, and definitely hit a eureka moment while integrating over vector fields that helped me conceptualise some general day-to-day stuff better in my head, would most people generally benefit from that same conceptual "grokking": of course. Would it be worth the time & effort investment for them if they're not using it in their career: no.

hardware2win 3y ago
There is no license required for using math. Yea, if you dont want, then you will not use math. But, if you dont have some mental block, then you may find ways to apply math to your problems. Abstract thinking is really useful during arguments, even about politics, religion, etc.
- lucideer 3y ago
  > If you dont have some mental block The "mental block" you're referring to here is a combination of individual aptitude, capacity, access to educational resources & time-/effort-budgeting over a lifetime. This isn't some free casual object people are refusing to collect on their travels, it requires investment.
  - RugnirViking 3y ago
    It does indeed require investment of mental effort. But that's it. I'd argue maths is one of the cheapest monetarily skills it is possible to pick up - there have been several great contributions from people with little or no formal schooling. It's not like it's available only to a select few, I think pretty much everyone that gets deep enough in to be able to apply it continues to do so throughout their life. It can be used to fill in for all sorts of problems. I've been a tutor and ive long been a strong advocate for yes you can do it. I've met so many diverse people with excellent spacial reasoning that for whatever reason decided they weren't smart enough or couldn't understand it, yet when given a zealous advocate to encourage them picked it up just as quickly as any stereotypical maths genius

hardware2win 3y ago

There is no license required for using math. Yea, if you dont want, then you will not use math. But, if you dont have some mental block, then you may find ways to apply math to your problems. Abstract thinking is really useful during arguments, even about politics, religion, etc.

lucideer 3y ago
> If you dont have some mental block The "mental block" you're referring to here is a combination of individual aptitude, capacity, access to educational resources & time-/effort-budgeting over a lifetime. This isn't some free casual object people are refusing to collect on their travels, it requires investment.
- RugnirViking 3y ago
  It does indeed require investment of mental effort. But that's it. I'd argue maths is one of the cheapest monetarily skills it is possible to pick up - there have been several great contributions from people with little or no formal schooling. It's not like it's available only to a select few, I think pretty much everyone that gets deep enough in to be able to apply it continues to do so throughout their life. It can be used to fill in for all sorts of problems. I've been a tutor and ive long been a strong advocate for yes you can do it. I've met so many diverse people with excellent spacial reasoning that for whatever reason decided they weren't smart enough or couldn't understand it, yet when given a zealous advocate to encourage them picked it up just as quickly as any stereotypical maths genius