Re: Are there any non-gifted scientists?!?!?

From: Gregory L. Hansen (glhansen_at_steel.ucs.indiana.edu)
Date: 04/30/04 

Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004 01:11:25 +0000 (UTC)

In article <Ken.Pledger-2F3BD3.10234030042004@bats.mcs.vuw.ac.nz>,
Ken Pledger <Ken.Pledger@vuw.ac.nz> wrote:
>In article <5f6b0df.0404291215.24eaef73@posting.google.com>,
> bwvbabygotbach@netscape.net (Der Fugue) wrote:
>
>> ....
>> Math can be extremely fun when I tackle a hard problem or learn a
>> difficult concept. But at least for me, there's a lot of brutal work
>> necessary leading up to that. You cannot tell me that the classical
>> pianist *loves* playing scales, but he still does it, does he not?
>>
>> My problem is that I often find myself playing scales so-to-speak all
>> day and fail to make considerable progress. Math is a lot more fun if
>> it comes easily to you, namely because you're spending a greater
>> proportion of your time doing fun and interesting things than you are
>> doing endless exercises and reading, re-reading, and re-reading yet
>> again to make sense of something....
>
>
> Yes, practise your scales, but also play some light-hearted things
>to enjoy (Schubert dances?). Perhaps right now you would enjoy reading
>one or two of the very fine overview books which give real insight into
>mathematics. My usual first suggestion is Richard Courant and Herbert
>Robbins, "What is Mathematics?", or one of the little books by W.W.
>Sawyer. Your response to those will tell you something about yourself
>in the mathematical world.
...
>
> Don't overlook mathematical statistics. Many people (including

"Conned Again, Watson! Cautionary Tales of Logic, Math, and Probability"
by Colin Bruce. Sherlock Holmes explains probability and other
mathematical concepts to Dr. Watson as he employs them in his work.
Thoroughly enjoyable. 

-- 
"Suppose you were an idiot... And suppose you were a member of
Congress... But I repeat myself." - Mark Twain

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