[HN Gopher] Mathematical Thinking Isn't What You Think It Is
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       Mathematical Thinking Isn't What You Think It Is
        
       Author : isaacfrond
       Score  : 35 points
       Date   : 2024-11-18 14:57 UTC (3 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.quantamagazine.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.quantamagazine.org)
        
       | ivan_ah wrote:
       | I like the idea of math as "self help." People don't realize it,
       | but the more math you learn, the easier/simpler life becomes...
       | In other words, people learn math not because they like
       | complexity, but because they are lazy and don't want complexity
       | in their life.
       | 
       | For a specific example, consider some complicated arithmetic
       | expression involving a dozen numbers and repeated operations
       | +/-/*//. A person who knows high school algebra, could introduce
       | some structure in the expression (e.g. by defining variables),
       | then use the rules of algebra to simplify the expression, and end
       | up doing much arithmetic overall to compute the answer.
       | 
       | The more (as in abstraction and modelling) math you know, the
       | less math (as in arithmetic) you'll have to do!
        
         | card_zero wrote:
         | That's not what I call laziness. Laziness is doing a half-
         | assed, inefficient job that you don't have to concentrate on.
         | Putting underwear away by throwing it. Spilling your drink on
         | yourself because you didn't want to sit up in bed. Trying
         | repeatedly to flick a switch with your toes rather than bend
         | down. Communicating in grunts because thinking of words is
         | demanding. What you're describing is cleverness, and it's a
         | strain.
        
           | fluoridation wrote:
           | Sure, that's one way to define it. But to people who think
           | work (and effort) is in itself a virtue, optimization is
           | lazy, because it reduces the total work you'll need to do.
           | 
           | Even some of your examples I'm not convinced are lazy
           | according to your own definition. Am I lazy for flicking a
           | switch at ankle level with my toes if I can do it well
           | enough, when bending down would take so much more effort? I
           | think by your standard I should be commended for my foot
           | dexterity! When does the desire to reduce effort cease to be
           | vicious and become virtuous?
        
       | havefunbesafe wrote:
       | Related to another quantum mag article on the front page today:
       | "Why everyone can benefit from something that isnt what you think
       | it is"?
        
       | auggierose wrote:
       | Already discussed here:
       | https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200209
        
         | nullhole wrote:
         | 243 comments, posted 15 hours ago
        
         | mdp2021 wrote:
         | How come they have the same URL?
        
           | emptiestplace wrote:
           | 42172857 vs 4220020
           | 
           | Edit: Sorry, I think maybe you are asking why HN doesn't
           | enforce article URL uniqueness - I can't answer that.
        
             | mdp2021 wrote:
             | > _maybe_
             | 
             | Yes. The system here normally seems to check uniqueness.
        
       | alganet wrote:
       | We had enough already.
       | 
       | https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que...
        
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       (page generated 2024-11-21 23:01 UTC)