OT: Mathematical Conundrum III

[Cursitor Doom]

No worries. Other notations are available. ;->

[John Rumm]

Magistracies I rather like - especially now days where matrix functions are available in spreadsheets and on decent calculators. Makes solving simultaneous equations a breeze, and using techniques like superposition for circuit analysis quite easy.

Having said that, when first introduced to them at O level they seemed rather pointless since the teachers could never think of a real world example of what you could use them for (or at least not without opening cans of worms like convolution, signal processing, 3D graphics etc). Also they never taught inversion at that level - which kind of rendered many useful techniques out of the question.

ISTR that tensor maths stumped Einstein for several years. so I am less concerned about that!

[whisky-dave]

I wouldn;t dismis them any more than I'd dismaiss start trek but it seems v ery easy for teh intelituls to dismis things like star trek and would only consider you as inteligent if you read such things as shakspeare and dicken s. Which is why they are relatively few MPs/polititions that know anyhting abo ut teh real world but they are experts at alice in wonderland or any other fictiona;l book and can't work out why their so called polices aren't worki ng for real people but would work fine on fantasy island.

but shit in the real world.

[whisky-dave]

yes correct, this was from a chinese student, not that it matters. Our student also describe the phillips/cross head as a plus screwdriver.

My thoughts today are when I left the lab at 5pm yesterday, students and TA still here running a 3 hour lab from 2pm to 5pm, why didn't they finish until 9pm !

[whisky-dave]

Sounds like you have a great idea there :-) does it work on all wives ?

[John Rumm]

I disagree.

I would suggest there is plenty you can learn about politics, and people (and what motivates them) from fiction - just as you can learn a good grounding in real science from well written science fiction. Lets face it, Orwell's 1984 is not a classic due to its "feel good factor"!

Its also a limitless opportunity for someone to broaden their understanding and experiences. To learn of other cultures, and peoples etc, without needing to actually visit the places. You can do things you would never do (in person), go places you would never go.

[whisky-dave]

ms very easy for teh intelituls to dismis things like star trek and would o nly consider you as inteligent if you read such things as shakspeare and di ckens.

about teh real world but they are experts at alice in wonderland or any ot her fictiona;l book and can't work out why their so called polices aren't w orking for real people but would work fine on fantasy island.

but do we.

We could but we don't because it's fiction.

What do you mean by well written correct spelling or an insite into the fut ure.

A 'fun' senerio where computers or robots don't exists, yes we can learn a lot from it.

Must be why we have so many problems in the world with all this understandi ng going on.

As I said boldley go where no man has gone before.

[John Rumm]

We, as a people certainly. We including you? Perhaps not.

Why should fiction be a problem? Much fiction is inspired by real people, events, scenarios. Fictional characters are often inspired by real people, and their responses to events plausible.

Certainly not the former. We sometimes get the latter. However science fiction if written by an author with a strong science background should stretch you knowledge and understanding of real science as well. Go read something by David Brin for example.

Not really sure where you are going with the computers and robots angle... (although one could perhaps view the fictional telescreen as one of the realities modern communications devices have brought into existence). There is plenty to learn and observe about the way totalitarian states come about, and their mechanisms of operation. Its a shame that so many modern day political leaders seem to think it was written as a hand book rather than a warning.

Perhaps there are too many people not reading widely enough, and as a result the remain blinkered and easily manipulated?