What Math?

As should be clear by now, I love mathematics. I like working through problems, and I enjoy the insights that can come from a good understanding of mathematical logic. Moreover, I strongly believe that mathematics is essential to a strong liberal arts education.

Unfortunately, many people seem to disagree with me. They think that mathematics is a bunch of recipes for finding the solutions to problems, and that it has no place in a liberal education. Only nerds would ever want to study mathematics.

Thus it is nice when I see articles like Dr. Robert Lewis’ What Math? His diagnosis is, I think, spot on. In short, he believes that most people have a misconception about what mathematics is and how it works. The article is short and insightful, and well worth reading.

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