An aspiring computer scientist looked up the e-mail addresses of some influential minds in the business and asked them 10 questions. Here is his report.
I'm of the opinion that a strong background in math and problem-solving in general is really important in today's society. I know it sounds weird, but the more math you have, the more things make sense. I don't count economics.
Oh, yeah, and the ability to think for one's self. But I may be asking for too much.
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Hmm... You might be right. Math is one language used to understand things and make sense out of the world.
But where it really gets tricky is understanding matters of faith. Doing the right thing or the wrong thing. That isn't always quantifiable. And that is a critical choice for survival. Something our country hasn't been doing very well at.
It might be that the more math is your language, then the more lost in abstraction you are. I might argue that the more liberal arts education you have "the more things make sense."
I have a lot of friends who are math people. One who has a PHD in quantum mechanics. One micro-biologist with a masters in bacteriology. a couple of SEs like you. Various others and one ex-girlfriend who has a masters in economics. She now lives in Kuwait.
With the exception of the physicist, and my ex with her degree in econoics, none of the rest of them really understand the world in my view. But I don't doubt their math skills. :)
Work has me brainwashed that if an ethical problem ever comes up, to contact the Ethics Department, and/or Legal. :)
I guess my statement about math and things making sense was really a generalization. I know of a few liberal arts people who are truly out in left field. Granted, they are all academics, and have probably spent way too long tucked away in the quiet corners of the world to have a relavant perspective on current events.
I think there's a lot of unneeded animosity between math/science people and liberal arts people. I'd like to think that there's a lot of math and science in liberal arts, and vice versa. As poor examples, music is a liberal art implementation of math, and most visual arts (painting, photography, sculpture, etc) are liberal art implementations of one form of science or another (chemistry, physics, etc).
I want to clarify why I think math is so vital to understanding today's world => math teaches problem-solving/problem-understanding implicitly, and most other disciplines don't. Without that (and a good understanding of history!), we can't make good decisions in domestic or foreign policy. We can't function as good citizens of the world.
Ha ha ha! I like that. Contact Ethics or Legal. That's funny.
Of course people with liberal arts degrees are usually on the left and that would explain why they are "truly out in left field". That's a good observation. :)
I think you might be right. (pardon the pun) The libs have been tucked away too long and it's clearly time for a change in world current events. I hope lots of voters agree. But if not we can continue to accept the right wing direction for our country as "relavant". (?)
And one more (?) How do you define relavant perspective on current events? Can we possibly get it any more wrong than we have under this administration? I'll answer that, yes, he has two more years to walk over our rights and and make us "safer" for our own good. I know that I feel a lot safer...Now that everybody in the world hates us.
I agree that it is time to end the theocracy that exists and continues to dominate the political landscape, and not only in Utah. The religious right is very scarry.
I wish they didn't think the world was going to come to an end anyway. I'd feel a little safer if they weren't so keen on going to heaven. I's pretty darn nice here. I'd hate to go to heaven and have to sit around with some of these guys for eternity.
Thanks for putting me on your side bar. I did the same with you.
I define relevant perspective on current events as mostly staying in touch with what the average American wants and needs. I had a couple professors who were so virulent in their liberal and anti-American views it made me wonder why they were still living here if they hated it here so much. (Possibly because here is one of the only places they can have such views about the country they live in and not get shot?) It also made me wonder why they didn't do more than talk about it if they felt so strongly.
The average American wants to be able to house, feed, and clothe him/her-self. They more than likely know or know-of someone who has been to war, and possibly someone who was wounded or killed. They probably wonder how they are going to provide adaquate medical care, savings for kids' college and retirement, and the next month's rent or mortgage. I'm glossing, and this is by no means a complete list of what the average American needs or wants, but you get the general idea.
Who knows? Maybe heaven has ski slopes and you wouldn't have to sit around with boring right-wing religious nuts for eternity!
If heaven has ski hills they'll probably make me run the lift, or wash dishes in the lodge. I think I'm in for a little punishment now.
I think you have a healthy perspective. I value it and it gives me something to think about.
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