A History Lesson: When Math Was Taboo

[Sedalia Dave]

Even when it comes to our schools and text books therein history constantly repeats its self.

 

Wonder when the masses will finally take notice??

 

A History Lesson: When Math Was Taboo

 

 

Math is "contemptible and vile."

.

That's not from a disgruntled student. It's from a textbook.

The author, 16th century mathematician Robert Recorde, nestled the line just after his preface, table of contents and a biblical quote citing God's command to measure and number all things.

Recorde didn't believe in math's awfulness — quite the opposite. He was simply reflecting popular opinion on his way to a spirited defense of math. Why?

Mathematics was associated with banking and trade and so "was shunned among the upper classes and the educated classes in Europe," explains Houman Harouni of Harvard University.

Recorde's math textbook — published in 1543 — is far from unique.

"Almost all of these books start with an apology," says Harouni.

 

[Subdeacon Joe]

A good read. Thanks, SD.

[Tennessee Trapper Tom]

That was pretty cool. Math was my easiest subject, came naturally. Of course it was financial math. Reason I got my degree in accounting. But I also have a fasination with engineering as well. Anyway, that was a wealth of info packed in a small amount of reading. Thanks

[Trailrider #896]

The "problem" with math is that it required some thinking...although we had to memorize the multiplication tables through "12 x 12 =144". Had to write it down longhand in class (don't remember the grade, however). As an engineer, of course, math was basic. In college I had to take advanced calculus and differential equations. I had already mastered geometry and trig in high school. So far as calc and diffy-Q is concerned, I got by...until I graduated and went into the aerospace field. Never used either again! The stress analysts used NASTRANS programs and simply plugged in values and the computer spit them out in long sheets! I did have to remember complex variables and imaginary numbers...to help my daughter in college. When she got to probabilities, I told her she was on her own! (Well, actually, I called a former co-worker who was in charge of predicting the probability of the impact points of the Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters in the ocean so they could be recovered.) Nowadays, all my "math" has to do with paying bills and balancing checkbooks.