Thread replies: 11
Thread images: 1
Thread images: 1
File: goldbach.png (399KB, 2000x1743px) Image search:
[Google]
399KB, 2000x1743px
I just finished reading Hardy's A Mathematician's Apology and I am a bit perplexed.
I want to discuss the title of that book. Why did he call it an apology? From the title it feels like he's going to say:
>Okay, I know that I did nothing good in my life for other people and instead decided to focus on finding knowledge only I and a few others care about for my own personal glory. I am sorry for that, I should have used my genius to be a doctor instead. Sorry.
But then in the book he basically justifies the attitude's of a mathematician. First he begins by debunking the notion of "using your genius for something else" by saying that men are BORN good in at most one thing and that if you do not quickly train that one and only one skill you have you will forever be some mediocre faggot working at Mc Donald's.
And I don't mention "men" for no reason. Throughout the book he says "men" in contexts where it is way more appropiate to say "person".
For example:
"Ambition has been the driving force behind nearly all the best work of the world. In particular, practically all substantial contributions to human happiness have been made by ambitions MEN."
Going back to my original point, he also justifies his own self-indulgence by saying how by studying mathematics he met the best men in the world (talking about Ramanujan and Littlewood).
He then says, right at the end, that mathematics is good because when you get to the level of abstraction he was on, math is so useless that it can't even be used for war.
So what was the point of this book? I am a student of mathematics from that perspective that book is really good as an insight into the mind of a past genius. He talks about his motivations and achievements in a relatable manner. But then why not call it "A Mathematician's Motivation"?
Other than that he also talks of the beauty of mathematics, so why not call it "A Mathematician's circlejerk"?
How is this an apology?
>>
Read it again brainlet
>>
>>8746251
If you are so smart then you can tell me what he was apologizing for.
>>
>>8746240
He means apology in the Ancient Greek sense. More like "a defense."
The book is not him apologizing, but rather an argument to defend the study of mathematics.
You aren't the only one to criticize his pretension in the article
>>
>>8746259
>He means apology in the Ancient Greek sense. More like "a defense."
Well that's a little bit gay.
>>
>>8746264
Well, you're a little bit stupid
>>
>>8746270
Not knowing obscure alternative meanings from fuckthousand years ago does not make me stupid.
>>
>>8746273
You preferred to nake a thread here instead of googling your question. Thats really stupid.
>>
>>8746240
If you knew your philosophy you wouldn't get confused by the term, not so useless now huh?!
>>
This is why no one likes us.
>>
>>8746291
The person asked a question in an insulting way. It's not difficult to see why some people, when presented with this, would answer in an insulting way.
That being said, in the future when reading older texts, realize times have changed. When Hardy says men, he means approximately what we mean by people. And apology is approximately defense. Just because it's in English doesn't mean he's speaking the same language.
Thread posts: 11
Thread images: 1
Thread images: 1