No. 52: Organizing Thoughts
May 10th 2010 17:11
Recently in one of our local newspapers, under the heading: “Letters to the Editor,” appeared a writer suggesting it was UNNECESSARY for children to be taught algebra, trigonometry, and other mathematics before graduation!. This writer meant well, but was ignorant of the fact that learning mathematics teaches our minds to organize thoughts. It prepares us for going from a mental point A to point K in the most efficient and quickest manner. Without this learned ability, all of us would be making even more bad or banal decisions.
One thing that seems to escape many is that ALL THINGS in our existence can be related to, or expressed by, mathematics. It is ironic to many that not only the physical sciences of astronomy, physics and chemistry, but social and psychological sciences depend on mathematical relationships also. It is time consuming, but even this article and any conversation can be expressed mathematically. A refined speaker, writer or salesperson often uses skills learned by mathematical training to think beyond the conversational/written flow and toward the final goals set in advance.
We constantly witness too many peoples’ choices of words by rote, chaining of phrases, and use of profane adjectives as a general lack of inner training. Even these word and phrase choices can indicate to others our lack of mental proficiency in navigating from A to K in a conversation.
But, it is not just within our minds that we need mathematical training, but the need for good organization spills into our everyday lives. For example, one may need to buy groceries, pick up some lumber, have lunch, and take the kids to softball all in the same trip. Planning ahead for the shortest route, the time involved and the fuel usage--will make the trip more workable. If we just start the auto, and head out, we may be late for the softball game because we did not plan the other stops properly.
No business can be operated without proper planning for expenditures, earnings and reserves. The necessary skills for obtaining our goals will elude us or break down, without proper learning somewhere along the way, and preferably this learning is on an ongoing basis.
Training our minds to think better can assist us in social, religious, and political decisions too. We can teach ourselves to scrutinize our religious and social affiliations, and political associations more and better. With better math skills, it is possible to exercise our rights as citizens through more responsible voting, because we have enhanced analytical minds.
With all this having been stated, I suggest that each student take his or her arithmetic and math classes seriously while understanding that each is preparing to work within a more complex world and will be gaining ground within it.
Please keep it between the lines.
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
That being said, I'm a big believer in good education. It galls me to talk to someone who "graduated high school" and is virtually ignorant of even the most basic language, math and history.
Comment by Edward Allen
Sanity Road
I regret not mentioning that learning algebra, calculus, etc. facilitates more pragmatic thinking on subconscious levels.
Although it is true that, to a degree, some inherit, and some learn through expeiences, in a perfect world everyone would take more math training.