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/sci/ - Science & Math

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5834602 No.5834602 [Reply] [Original]

How do you feel about the way mathematics is displayed in popular culture today? Do you find portrayals of mathematician's like in Numb3rs helpful or damaging?

I see a lot of love physics, especially general relativity and quantum mechanics, but not quite as much interest in math. Why do you think this is? How do you feel that math seems to take a backseat to physics nowadays?

>> No.5834610

>>5834602
>Do you find portrayals of mathematician's like in Numb3rs helpful or damaging?
I think the net effect is 0. Some are turned off and some are turned on by it.
>>5834602
>not quite as much interest in math
I would guess it's because knowledge of math is quite useless to most without direct application. That's how a lot of people learn! Everyone in high school is always going "When are we going to use this crap?" And they never will unless they apply it. Knowing how to calculate something as simple a determinant or as complex as a Fourier Transform means nothing if you don't know what it's for.
Then again I'm no physicist so I don't know.

>> No.5834621

I really don't care anymore, people just hate hard science in general. But if I ever get the chance to try teaching some sort of experimental math class, like an explorations course focused on finding patterns and discussing proofs, and it's a long term course meant to improve, I'd gladly jump on it.

>> No.5834629

>>5834610
>When are we going to use this crap?
I agree with your point, but it's kind of funny that the main character from numb3rs was a professor of applied mathematics. I think that's what the show was going for in a way, "This is when you're going to use this crap: when solving murder investigations!!"

>> No.5834631
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5834631

>>5834610
> useless to most without direct application

But so is theoretical physics but we still have shows like TBBT and I see lots of people with interest in quantum mechanics and general relativity, even thought they can't use it.

And even math with no conceivable applications can be interesting. Things like Cantor's theory of sets, paradoxes like the envelope one or the one with the omniscient guy who gives you one of two boxes are some thought inducing stuff. And I don't think that they're so complicated that they can't be used in a typical show or film.


You're not OP. Why are you using that name?

>> No.5834633

Not bad I guess, it's always as extremely smart and not really nerdy, perhaps eccentric.

>> No.5834665

>>5834631
But why would you want the general population to get slightly into math and misinterpret much of it (like they already do with physics and get this quantum mysticism stuff) and not even just deep enough to clear out their misunderstandings?

People are just going to focus on the pretty stuff like fractals and would probably go crazy over stuff like banach tarski paradox while not spending enough time trying to actually understand it

I don't want to make math only for elitists, it's just that it has to be taught right. But when it is taught right, no one listens. Someone needs to find a brilliant way to get math out to the public.