Cutting edge math is actually mostly about converting fuzzy stuff, at least the parts of math I am interested in(Algebraic Geometry—Grothendieck/Weil for example). Both the mentioned mathematicians worked in a field where people had some stuff that worked but no foundations.
Also, the foundations of math have been changing for quite a long time and continue to do so. I think your reaction to mathematics might be to badly taught mathematics rather than mathematics as practiced. However, I don’t see an easy way to fix it.
To teach mathematics well would require a high amount of mastery and we don’t have enough people like that around.
I think your reaction to mathematics might be to badly taught mathematics rather than mathematics as practiced.
I doubt it—I generally teach myself things and just ignore bad instruction. The underlying cause is likely to be the curse of the gifted—I’m lazy and when I run into walls I usually go around instead of starting a wall disassembly project. And I was never attracted to math sufficiently to apply a lot of effort.
Cutting edge math is actually mostly about converting fuzzy stuff, at least the parts of math I am interested in(Algebraic Geometry—Grothendieck/Weil for example). Both the mentioned mathematicians worked in a field where people had some stuff that worked but no foundations.
Also, the foundations of math have been changing for quite a long time and continue to do so. I think your reaction to mathematics might be to badly taught mathematics rather than mathematics as practiced. However, I don’t see an easy way to fix it.
To teach mathematics well would require a high amount of mastery and we don’t have enough people like that around.
I doubt it—I generally teach myself things and just ignore bad instruction. The underlying cause is likely to be the curse of the gifted—I’m lazy and when I run into walls I usually go around instead of starting a wall disassembly project. And I was never attracted to math sufficiently to apply a lot of effort.