Re: [math-fun] Fwd: [xbbn] Graduate Student Solves Decades-Old Conway Knot Problem | Quanta Magazine
I strongly disagree with this statement to the extent it refers to pure math, and I think I've been around research mathematics long enough to have some idea what I'm talking about. As we all know, math is hard for many people and, to make matters worse, it's not always taught well, particularly in grade school through high school. And it's a huge subject so that many major areas are not even well understood by established researchers in other parts of math. And finally, the expected audience of math research papers such as a Ph.D. dissertation is other researchers. It's hard enough doing the research in the first place no less trying to address a wide audience who will probably never be interested in one's research. I don't know about other subjects, but I don't think this is true in pure math. Or applied math, for that matter. —Dan ----- This is pretty typical of the academic system, which actively encourages researchers to leave most people behind. -----
I’m confused, because you seem to be giving supporting evidence. Is your opinion that people should be left behind? Or that “research mathematicians” have no other choice? Or? —Brad
On May 23, 2020, at 9:02 PM, Dan Asimov <dasimov@earthlink.net> wrote:
I strongly disagree with this statement to the extent it refers to pure math, and I think I've been around research mathematics long enough to have some idea what I'm talking about.
As we all know, math is hard for many people and, to make matters worse, it's not always taught well, particularly in grade school through high school. And it's a huge subject so that many major areas are not even well understood by established researchers in other parts of math. And finally, the expected audience of math research papers such as a Ph.D. dissertation is other researchers. It's hard enough doing the research in the first place no less trying to address a wide audience who will probably never be interested in one's research.
I don't know about other subjects, but I don't think this is true in pure math. Or applied math, for that matter.
—Dan
----- This is pretty typical of the academic system, which actively encourages researchers to leave most people behind. -----
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Has anyone ever done an ethnography of mathematicians? For the sake of illustration, see Marwick's ethnography of Silicon Valley, Status Update. On 5/23/20 19:02, Dan Asimov wrote:
I strongly disagree with this statement to the extent it refers to pure math, and I think I've been around research mathematics long enough to have some idea what I'm talking about.
As we all know, math is hard for many people and, to make matters worse, it's not always taught well, particularly in grade school through high school. And it's a huge subject so that many major areas are not even well understood by established researchers in other parts of math. And finally, the expected audience of math research papers such as a Ph.D. dissertation is other researchers. It's hard enough doing the research in the first place no less trying to address a wide audience who will probably never be interested in one's research.
I don't know about other subjects, but I don't think this is true in pure math. Or applied math, for that matter.
—Dan
----- This is pretty typical of the academic system, which actively encourages researchers to leave most people behind. -----
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participants (3)
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Andres Valloud -
Brad Klee -
Dan Asimov