tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856692170358121823.post8217966883452167503..comments2012-03-27T22:29:14.749-07:00Comments on Engineering Life: Conceptual CalculusJames Eastwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972709311666865680noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856692170358121823.post-62340218984192332482009-05-20T18:52:27.059-07:002009-05-20T18:52:27.059-07:00Agreed, for the most part, to all of it. The under...Agreed, for the most part, to all of it. The underlying concept is that this sort of higher mathematics teaches you to think critically, and, really, that's the most important thing. Honestly, you could get along in life just fine (discounting the economic security of a college degree) without a lot of the classes you take in college, but schooling isn't all about academics. There's the idea of socialization and learning how to think, because, if you thought it was a conspiracy when you were little, you were right. School is society's way of producing efficient members.<br />Josh also has a point: those out there who consider themselves "one-trick ponies" would definitely have a problem with calculus. I know too many English majors who have trouble with Business Algebra and almost pee themselves around Trig. I can't imagine them getting the hang of differential equations. Perhaps it's the expectation that since they're English majors, they can't do math, so they defeat themselves before they even try? Or perhaps, the conventional teaching methods of math don't make sense to those of a more literary leaning, so if the methods were more tailored. . .? However, your point about the underlying knowledge of calculus-- thinking critically and applying it-- is a very incisive point.AJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314598478593741336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856692170358121823.post-87684236314233684852009-05-20T12:15:49.442-07:002009-05-20T12:15:49.442-07:00I'm going to err on the side that says that math o...I'm going to err on the side that says that math of any higher sort is painful. I'm perfectly okay with being a one-trick-pony and nothing more. Leave me to my literature and psychology and the occassional venture into science, but advanced math makes me die a little inside each time I encouner it :(. Still, you've got a good idea; it just terrifies me a little bit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com