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> I see no reason why it should have to justify itself in any way If you cannot justify to children why you force them to sit in school for hours every day you

> I see no reason why it should have to justify itself in any way If you cannot justify to children why you force them to sit in school for hours every day you shouldn't be surprised by the consequences. Though weirdly schools tend to be very surprised in my experience. And yes, this question is absolutely asked in other subjects too, but less often as they're not as abstract and usually related to things people encounter every day. > Justifying mathematics is easy And thus left as exercise to the reader?

constantcrying 3y ago
>If you cannot justify to children why you force them to sit in school for hours every day you shouldn't be surprised by the consequences. Nobody told me why I should learn about ancient history or 20th century literature. >usually related to things people encounter every day. Basically nothing I did in school had anything at all to do with things I encountered every day. I played video games and hung out with friends. I didn't study European art history in my time away from school. >And thus left as exercise to the reader? Yes. I assumed that most people on this website understand the inherent value in abstract thiking and broadly applicable problem solving techniques.
- LunaSea 3y ago
  > Yes. I assumed that most people on this website understand the inherent value in abstract thiking and broadly applicable problem solving techniques. This absolutely doesn't match what is thought in elementary and secondary schools. You are thought how to apply things and not how to think (in an abstract way or not).
  - constantcrying 3y ago
    Yes, math education is generally bad.
- mtVessel 3y ago
  Oh, you mean the kind of abstract thinking and problem solving skills you develop from reading history and literature and applying them to the events of the day? Yeah, I totally understood that. Still not sure where Calculus fits in, though.
  - constantcrying 3y ago
    >Yeah, I totally understood that. Still not sure where Calculus fits in, though. If I need to tell you how one of the most important theories in mathematics, with broad applicability to all data-based academic fields and all careers which have to do with manipulating and investigating data, is important, then the entire school system has failed you. And I am not sure what you are doing on a site like this. >Oh, you mean the kind of abstract thinking and problem solving skills you develop from reading history and literature and applying them to the events of the day? lol
- jodrellblank 3y ago
  > "Nobody told me why I should learn about ancient history or 20th century literature." Did you ever ask? I assume not, since you claim nobody ever asks that question about ancient history - so why would anyone have told you? If you did ask, doesn't that rather undermine your claim that nobody ever asks this question about other subjects and people only ask it about mathematics?
  - constantcrying 3y ago
    >Did you ever ask? No. But I also didn't question its value.
    - robertlagrant 3y ago
      Why not?
      - constantcrying 3y ago
        Because: "I also didn't question its value. "
        robertlagrant 3y ago
        You didn't question its value because you didn't question its value?
_lvbh 3y ago
I think it’s useful to justify math at a young age. I fell into the “math doesn’t matter” group and regret it since stepping into software engineering
EliRivers 3y ago
And thus left as exercise to the reader? Zing! I feel you'd want to know some of your readers get it :)

constantcrying 3y ago

>If you cannot justify to children why you force them to sit in school for hours every day you shouldn't be surprised by the consequences. Nobody told me why I should learn about ancient history or 20th century literature. >usually related to things people encounter every day. Basically nothing I did in school had anything at all to do with things I encountered every day. I played video games and hung out with friends. I didn't study European art history in my time away from school. >And thus left as exercise to the reader? Yes. I assumed that most people on this website understand the inherent value in abstract thiking and broadly applicable problem solving techniques.

LunaSea 3y ago
> Yes. I assumed that most people on this website understand the inherent value in abstract thiking and broadly applicable problem solving techniques. This absolutely doesn't match what is thought in elementary and secondary schools. You are thought how to apply things and not how to think (in an abstract way or not).
- constantcrying 3y ago
  Yes, math education is generally bad.
mtVessel 3y ago
Oh, you mean the kind of abstract thinking and problem solving skills you develop from reading history and literature and applying them to the events of the day? Yeah, I totally understood that. Still not sure where Calculus fits in, though.
- constantcrying 3y ago
  >Yeah, I totally understood that. Still not sure where Calculus fits in, though. If I need to tell you how one of the most important theories in mathematics, with broad applicability to all data-based academic fields and all careers which have to do with manipulating and investigating data, is important, then the entire school system has failed you. And I am not sure what you are doing on a site like this. >Oh, you mean the kind of abstract thinking and problem solving skills you develop from reading history and literature and applying them to the events of the day? lol
jodrellblank 3y ago
> "Nobody told me why I should learn about ancient history or 20th century literature." Did you ever ask? I assume not, since you claim nobody ever asks that question about ancient history - so why would anyone have told you? If you did ask, doesn't that rather undermine your claim that nobody ever asks this question about other subjects and people only ask it about mathematics?
- constantcrying 3y ago
  >Did you ever ask? No. But I also didn't question its value.
  - robertlagrant 3y ago
    Why not?
    - constantcrying 3y ago
      Because: "I also didn't question its value. "
      - robertlagrant 3y ago
        You didn't question its value because you didn't question its value?

_lvbh 3y ago

I think it’s useful to justify math at a young age. I fell into the “math doesn’t matter” group and regret it since stepping into software engineering

EliRivers 3y ago

And thus left as exercise to the reader? Zing! I feel you'd want to know some of your readers get it :)