Originally Posted by Mahratta

The majority of math that research mathematicians do is actually quite philosophical. It either involves thinking (non-rigorously, metaphysically) about what model would fit a particular scientific system or in finding novel means of approaching mathematical problems that can be considered 'legitimate' (i.e. philosophically acceptable) to the community.

Oh duh, I feel stupid now lol. Math next to philosophy actually makes a lot more sense.

Originally Posted by Mahratta

Actually, I think that math can be split up into two main components, neither of which are scientific. One component would probably work best in engineering, and the other would work best in humanities. Math doesn't employ the inductive method (we have induction, but it's really a form of deduction) or anything that's characteristically scientific.

The stuff that would go into engineering would be the sort of math that mathematicians actually don't do, but most non-math majors think that they do (basically, applying known techniques cleverly to solve equations and so on). The majority of math that research mathematicians do is actually quite philosophical. It either involves thinking (non-rigorously, metaphysically) about what model would fit a particular scientific system or in finding novel means of approaching mathematical problems that can be considered 'legitimate' (i.e. philosophically acceptable) to the community.

Now, scientists also do this sort of metaphysics, but it deals with observation. That's what distinguishes science from mathematics (of course, math, like every other subject, can be traced way, way back to observation, but that's besides the point).



Woah, you're not Asian?

Kidding, and there aren't really very many Asians in the program (in my year at least).

Wow, I just understood another one of your posts.

I feel like you should have an Adelle version at the end of your posts where you use the least mathematical, most simplistic terms to explain your posts. Half of the time you're arguing with someone (I use that example because that seems to be when your posts are over my head), I just blindly assume I'd agree with you if I understood. Math-speak makes me head for the hills.

Originally Posted by KN1991

Really? I'd still consider it a science, and it's definitely not a social science.

I dated a guy that was in Life Sciences at UofT when I was still in high school, and he genuinely thought that I was less-inferior to him -intelligence wise-

less-inferior = superior as in he thought you were better than him. I think you meant just inferior.

Originally Posted by alh24

Wow, I just understood another one of your posts.

I feel like you should have an Adelle version at the end of your posts where you use the least mathematical, most simplistic terms to explain your posts. Half of the time you're arguing with someone (I use that example because that seems to be when your posts are over my head), I just blindly assume I'd agree with you if I understood. Math-speak makes me head for the hills.

Hahah, I try to type up posts that are easy to read, unfortunately it doesn't always work out that way ):. I've found that expressing simple points precisely is actually pretty hard - math tends to make a person pretty pedantic (alliteration, ha!)

EDIT: if by 'Adelle version' you mean 'easier to understand but not quite as clear version', then most of my posts can be taken to mean "I'm hungry". I usually am.

Originally Posted by RTinkess31

less-inferior = superior as in he thought you were better than him. I think you meant just inferior.

Yeah I meant to say less-intelligent .. and then said "less-inferior -intelligence wise-" and didn't pick up on what I said. But thank you.

Originally Posted by Mahratta

Hahah, I try to type up posts that are easy to read, unfortunately it doesn't always work out that way ):. I've found that expressing simple points precisely is actually pretty hard - math tends to make a person pretty pedantic (alliteration, ha!)

EDIT: if by 'Adelle version' you mean 'easier to understand but not quite as clear version', then most of my posts can be taken to mean "I'm hungry". I usually am.

It's safe to assume I mean that. Generally, I think "I usually agree with him, so I'll assume this is no different."

Don't be surprised when I actually do ask for an Adelle version of something in the future.

I like to think that I am partly responsible for threads like these. divide and conquer.