Science and Math!

Because I didn't even realize areas of study like that existed. All math classes I'd ever had before were continuous math classes like algebra or calculus, so they never got anywhere near that stuff.

I see. Yeah, I guess things like that aren't talked about enough before college.

Though I'm not sure what you mean by "continuous" math classes. Continuity is certainly a central notion in analysis — and by extension, calculus — but algebra is mostly separate from that. Or did I misunderstand something?

My understanding is that math is divided into two broad categories—"continuous" and "discrete." Continuous math is anything dealing with continuous functions, anything from a simple y = x to far more complicated functions as long as it's continuous. Whereas discrete math is everything else. I might not be totally right on the distinction there, but that's how I've come to understand it.

It also might be helpful to add that I'm referring only to the brand of algebra that's taught in high schools, not the broader sense where it's one of the six main branches of mathematics. I'm sure there's plenty of non-continuous stuff going on there.

edited 8th Dec '12 8:53:29 PM by ToxicInfinity

I think of it in terms of the structures involved. Certain topics involve objects with topological structure, so the notion of continuity makes sense. On top of the topological structure, some topics add differential structure, which allows for the techniques of calculus. Other topics involve algebraic structure, so there are operations like addition, multiplication, or composition whose structure can be studied. At one intersection of these is analysis, where certain objects with compatible topological, differential, and algebraic structure are studied.

Even in analysis, however, discontinuous things are often of interest. For example, real analysis deals with much broader classes than just continuous functions.

Also, many areas of algebra aren't really considered discrete, either, since they still deal with infinite structures. There are plenty of areas where those overlap, too, like in algebraic geometry, where certain algebraic structures are given a topology and studied using geometric techniques, while algebraic techniques are also used to reveal things that aren't easily captured in the purely geometric picture.

I just rattled off a string of geeky puns, mostly math-related, in the Official Bad Puns Topic. You people ITT might enjoy them:

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=lrr3vnederwc2a85pzos66uo&page=62#1543

Must say, those are rather amusing.

This one really got me.

Ooh, I've got another one!

Why didn't Ayatollah Khomeini like sampled functions?

Because they involve the Shah symbol.

All meausurements taken of the physical world will be a rational number. Is this because that's way the physical world is or flaws/limitations in our measuring systems/ability to measure?

Probably the latter. A more precise measurement won't really reach something's "true" value, just get it accurate to a few more decimal places, which is good enough for most purposes.

edited 3rd Mar '13 11:19:18 AM by Blueeyedrat

Tiny octopus-like micro-organism found in the guts of termites, named after Cthulhu.

I am amused.

That distinction gets pretty spectacularly kicked in the balls when you get to statistics and thermal/quantum mechanics.

edited 5th Apr '13 1:24:27 PM by Pykrete

‘Terminator’ polymer regenerates itself

It's a matter of field unity and methodology. Natural sciences like physics and chemistry generally have more control over potentially confounding variables, and thus can be more certain that they results they produce were caused by the phenomenon they studied. Both ethical considerations and the difficulty of quantitatively measuring mental processes mean that psychology's findings have to be taken more tentatively - thus making them a "softer" science

As for sociology... Well, go look up the science wars and the Sokal Affair. Basically, sociology still hasn't got all the postmodernism out of its system, so everyone's still a bit leery of it.

(There's also the thing about (absence of) unifying scientific paradigms - once again, more of sociology's issue than psychology's - but I'm not keen on paging through The Structure of Scientific Revolutions at 1:20 AM.

Aww... Sociology is positivity hardcore. In comparison to Economics and Political "Science". <_<

Those two have yet to even have the full debate thrashed out.

edited 29th Sep '13 6:01:16 AM by Euodiachloris

Well, considering that the core assumptions of mainstream economics are demonstrably untrue (and we're talking things as basic as the shape of utility curves), it's a wonder we pay people to teach it at all.

Blame Bruno Latour and David Bloor. Sociology got crazy drunk on postmodernism at a party and said some nasty things about particle physics' mother. Things haven't been the same since.

edited 29th Sep '13 1:29:44 PM by Sparkysharps

Economics seems to be a case of looking under the lamppost because that's where the math is tractable.

I find it hilarious that one of the people who's won a Nobel prize in economics won it for demonstrating just how bullshit mainstream economic models are.

Joined this thread because I'm thinking of changing my job to one more math-focused.

I took advanced math throughout high school, but I majored in English because I like books and writing. Unfortunately, despite getting work in the library, I hardly have time to read the books, and I'm not making enough money to comfortably leave home.

So I'm wondering if I can still get a good math job with a humanities degree, or if I'd have to go back to college just to decide what I'd want to do...

Hmmm. Not sure I should comment, as I basically know nothing about math related jobs other than computer science. Here are the three big ones I can think of:

Computer science. You do not need a degree. But it is a brutal industry to compete in without a degree. And it has to be a computer degree.

Accountant. I think you need an accountant specific degree to be trusted with financial stuff. You can maybe get this through continuing education if you work as a bank teller.

University professor. Needs an education degree. Probably also a doctorate.

I can't really think of anyone else who works primarily with math. Some engineers kind of do. But if you want engineering, well, same as accountant.

I hated programming. It's like...it turned out to be way harder for me than I ever thought it should be. ;/ One of the only B's I ever got in high school.

I gag at the mere thought of accounting. And I hate the concept of money. ;p

And I always tell everyone I'll never be a teacher. I didn't suffer through 17 years of school just to turn around and come right back to school.

But engineering...oh, sigh. That can't be what's left, can it? But then it seems like the only people who work with pure math are like...ha, teachers...

To be honest I just hate needing a job. I don't mind working per se, but in getting a job you need qualifications, commitment, and surrender to the people who are paying you.

Being a university professor requires a PhD in your field, but not an education degree. And there are lots of jobs that involve significant mathematics — maybe not many in "pure" math outside of academia, but plenty of jobs in industry that involve interesting mathematics, and lots of applied stuff that's also of theoretical interest. Most of these probably require some sort of mathematics degree or involve programming, though.

edited 14th May '16 9:59:43 PM by Enthryn