Can solving math problems/exercises and studying math improve one’s judgment of daily situations and errands? Or, doing things which require analytical thinking? Can it also affect one’s emotions or how they feel emotions?
I am not talking about solving or studying math only for one day. Please think of it like attending the gym regularly. In the long run, you feel the difference body exercise. Likewise, can studying math have such an affect on one’s mind?
Short answer. Yes.
I think that the rigorous logic that mathematics demands is useful for all kinds of reasoning and deductive processes.
I think that the mental dexterity that mathematics demands is useful for all kinds of problem-solving endeavours.
i think that the skill of forming precise definitions and of categorising abstract items extends to areas of cognition that are not strictly mathematical.
I think that the systems of memorisation and association that mathematicians develop also translate into other areas of life. It is well known for example that Mathematics teachers tend to be better spellers and grammarians than English teachers.
Plato certainly thought studying math would sharpen your mind. That’s why the motto inscribed over the entrance to his academy said “Let no one ignorant of geometry enter here.” I’m not aware of any empirical studies to back up this belief.
I think so. We know that there are people who seem to react to everything from their gut and generally make a mess thereby. Mathematical training ought to instill the habit of trying to think things out before acting.
Is there actually a GQ answer to this?
Sure, our gut feeling might be that it does but that could just as easily be selection bias. The people who are best able to think analytically may be the ones who drift into hobbies, employment, education, etc. that require more regular exposure to mathematics while the ones who don’t have the aptitude drift away.
So, has anybody done that study?
brain exercise and development can be a help to any person.
I have often wondered the same thing. I have almost no mathematical education but I use math everywhere I can possibly imagine applying it. If I can find a way to apply math to something it just might very well become a hobby. I don’t know if it excersises the brain or not but it does instill confidence and the added confidence seems to trigger some hormones that sharpen up our learning curve. One of the most facinating things about approaching something from a mathematical standpoint is identifying the factors involved and how much effect on the accuracy of the answer they will be responsible for.
IMHO math and law actually share a mindset like this. In law, nitpicking over definitions, logical operators, and if-then inferences is the order of the day.
E.g. if a statute says that “No person shall loiter in a no-loitering zone unless they have received authorization from the sheriff. Any person violating this provision shall be guilty of a felony.”, then there’s a lot to pick apart, like:
What is the definition of “loitering”? Does it get a colloquial reading (e.g. “hanging out in in such a way that makes it look like you might be up to no good”) or is there a specific intent required? Maybe the state’s definition of loitering requires intent to commit a felony and that intent to commit a misdemeanor isn’t sufficient, so being able to show that your client intended only to shoplift goods under $500 might get them an acquittal.
What constitutes authorization from the local sheriff? Does it have to be in writing? Is an signed authorization from a deputy enough, or does the sheriff himself have to personally sign the form? Is consent by silence enough? E.g. if I call the sheriff and say that I plan to loiter near the old Super-Mart, and the sheriff doesn’t tell me not to, did he just authorize me to loiter?
Does “the sheriff” necessarily require that the authorization be from the local sheriff? E.g. can the Sheriff of Green County give me permission to loiter in Williamson County? He is a “sheriff” after all…
Who is authorized to designate what places constitute “no-loitering zones”? Can a school principal designate the sidewalk in front of Valley High a no-loitering zone, or does he need to ask the superintendent for permission? Can I declare my front lawn a no-loitering zone? Can I forcefully designate my neighbor’s attic a no-loitering zone against his will by posting signs in the community?
… here on the SDMB (or at least GQ). 