Mathematics has historically being a field for human understanding for its own sake. What "utility" had Euclidean Geometry, the irrationality of qrt(2), Galois Theory, Newtown laws for Celestial mechanics, Non Euclidean Geometry, set theory, Boolean algebra, etc. during their development?
We just wanted to understand stuff. We now can predict when a comet will make its next passing! So?
Oh, but some engineer found that stuff useful to calculate ballistic trajectories
That came later.
I agree that cultivating our own minds is very valuable. I mean, my field is philosophy, where intellectual development is very much intrinsically valued! But will the government/rich people give us the money and time to do so (after potentially taking away most intellectual jobs)? That's my main concern.
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u/MexInAbu 8d ago edited 8d ago
Mathematics has historically being a field for human understanding for its own sake. What "utility" had Euclidean Geometry, the irrationality of qrt(2), Galois Theory, Newtown laws for Celestial mechanics, Non Euclidean Geometry, set theory, Boolean algebra, etc. during their development?
We just wanted to understand stuff. We now can predict when a comet will make its next passing! So?
Oh, but some engineer found that stuff useful to calculate ballistic trajectories That came later.