We need to pivot math towards intuition and accessibility.
Math has built a gated, inaccessible institution which - by design or not - served as a moat.
I believe math has little to do with mathematical notation - intuition is much more important. One can have intuition but not be able to “read math” - much as many musicians don’t “read music”.
Reading math however does not guarantee ideas or intuition. And those are what math needs.
You would be surprised at the number of people (who study math formally) who just memorize proofs and having no clue what it all fundamentally is about.
I am a mathematician, though I haven't been in academia for many years, and I would indeed be surprised if there were a lot of mathematicians who "just memorize proofs". Do you really mean that, and if so what's your evidence for it? (And: how do you suppose it is possible for someone who merely memorizes proofs without caring what they are about to prove new things in their field?)
strideashort · · focus · HN ↗
Math has built a gated, inaccessible institution which - by design or not - served as a moat.
I believe math has little to do with mathematical notation - intuition is much more important. One can have intuition but not be able to “read math” - much as many musicians don’t “read music”.
Reading math however does not guarantee ideas or intuition. And those are what math needs.
elendilm · · focus · HN ↗
gjm11 · · focus · HN ↗
elendilm · · focus · HN ↗
[dead]