Science and Math!

Or, more specifically, which one are you most interested in, and why?

For a brief, summarized list for those of you who are bad at thinking when prompted with a question without structure:

"Hard Science" —

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics

"Soft/Social Science" —

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Economics

"Mathematics" (included for the sake of fairness) —

• Geometry
• Trigonometry
• Calculus

"Computer Science"

...and everything in between.

Well, do you have a favorite? How much do you know about it? Talk away.

edited 25th Sep '11 12:57:14 AM by USAF713

I am now known as Flyboy.

• "Mathematical Logic" (Even the mathematicians think that we are weird)

edited 25th Sep '11 12:53:09 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

The third category should be "Formal Science", which includes mathematics.

Now using Trivialis handle.

I was just giving broad ideas so people wouldn't be overwhelmed with all the SCIENCE!

~cough~

Ahem.

I am now known as Flyboy.

Hrm, I wonder how category theory mathematicians and logicians interact, then.

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.

Where's Computer Science? Do we not count?

Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am...

Go go Econometrics!

x2 Like I said, formal science.

x4 That's not broad. You just listed a bunch of math classes.

edited 25th Sep '11 12:57:46 AM by abstractematics

Now using Trivialis handle.

Symbolic Logic!

I don't know all the kinds of science! There's too much science! There, I put up computer science (although wouldn't that be a part of math...?).

I'm not going to put all the different kinds of science in the OP. I assume you know whatever field you're interested in. So, enlighten us.

I am now known as Flyboy.

Psych pride!

I am interested in becoming a therapist in particular.

edited 25th Sep '11 12:58:39 AM by Aondeug

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

I don't understand. What are we supposed to talk about?

Now using Trivialis handle.

How sexy theology is.

Buddhology too. Best science.

edited 25th Sep '11 12:59:57 AM by Aondeug

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

Oh boy - all of those, and a few others. My tragedy is that I lack the time and talent to go into all of them.

Depends. Proof theorists love category theory, and use it routinely; and so do the more computer science-oriented logicians.

Set theorists (there is a longstanding debate on whether they are logicians or "just" mathematicians...), on the other hand, tend to be a little more cautious about category theory — many use it, but many seem to rather dislike it.

And then there are people who think that category theory and logic are basically the same thing...

edited 25th Sep '11 1:00:41 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

SCIENCE AND MATH!

See: title.

More specifically, your favorite kinds, and what you know about them.

I am now known as Flyboy.

I wouldn't really call biology a hard science.

I mean it's harder than sociology but still a lot softer than physics.

hashtagsarestupid

I know very, very little about psychology, theology, and Buddhology. Though some say "Oh Aondeug you know so much!". No I don't! Most recently I've begun to look into things like meditation theory much deeper. Things like theoretical manuals on the teachings of Buddhism and analysis on said teachings. Fun stuff, but very dull and confusing reading for someone without a decent amount of research into the topic.

Got a dictionary to help me with this recently too. Helpful little resource I can flip through when I need to check up on a particular piece of jargon.

Most recently got through the Thanissaro Bhikkhu's Wings of Awakening which is a somewhat in depth look at the Wings of Awakening (a set of 37 factors that lead to Enlightenment). Came with commentary and interpretation followed by passages from The Tipitaka to show where he got this stuff from.

edited 25th Sep '11 1:06:12 AM by Aondeug

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

Except that people keep asking why you are studying a jolly fat man, and punching them in the face cannot possibly bring good Kamma...

edited 25th Sep '11 1:05:30 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Econ is the softest of the soft~

I dunno if theology would be qualified as a science by the rest of the scientist group, but it's got "-ology" on the end so it works.

Before we continue, "Symbology" is not a science... or a word. Just getting that out of the way. (<—obscure movie reference).

I would say that biology is a hard science long before I'd say it's a soft science...

Pfft, psychology is softer than economics. Sociology is somewhere in between, as it involves both...

edited 25th Sep '11 1:11:25 AM by USAF713

I am now known as Flyboy.

Meh, the distinction between "Hard science" and "Soft science" is a matter of convention anyway. And it is doubtful whether mathematics even counts as a science: as a rule, we are not big about the experimental method (except when we are)...

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Microbiology and bio-chemistry is hardest, anatomy and medicine is slightly less hard and ethology gets softer (is probably still harder than the soft sciences but still). Biology covers quite a large spectrum.

If any question why we died/ Tell them, because our fathers lied -Rudyard Kipling

@USA: It's not a sliding scale. If your main body of work relies unpon untestable hypothesis, your a soft science by default.

It's like the one drop rule.

hashtagsarestupid

Math doesn't need to be a science, because this is the science and math thread.

What is "ethology?"

What's untestable about biology?

edited 25th Sep '11 1:13:11 AM by USAF713

I am now known as Flyboy.