Originally posted by laymanskeptic

Self-explenatory for a student willing to suspend disbelief. I can always suspend disbelief regarding the foundations of calculus, and just follow it mechanically while using some physical insight, and ace the damn subject.

I'm talking about the mystery of why the physical world had to behave mathematically in the first place, something the garden variety calc student doesn't even think about.

"I'm moving around meaningful symbols on a sheet of paper, which so elegantly corresponds to the state of affairs in the physical world as if by magic, and I don't care about the philosophical why. I just know it works."

Typical engineering student. He will definitely pass the subject.

The physical world doesn;t behave mathematically. Math just tries to quantify physical state. It's just a generally accepted medium. Just like how the same grammar keeps our communication on the same page.

By the way just because someone doesn't agree with 2+2= 1,00003 doesn't necessarily make that person a robot that only records and stores instead of understanding. In calc it's more important to understand than memorize formulas. It's not algebraic algorithms only.

And also nobody says you can't question math- you are more then welcome to do so, just have to be able to withstand the scrutiny.

Originally posted by delicatessen

Originally posted by laymanskeptic

Self-explenatory for a student willing to suspend disbelief. I can always suspend disbelief regarding the foundations of calculus, and just follow it mechanically while using some physical insight, and ace the damn subject.

I'm talking about the mystery of why the physical world had to behave mathematically in the first place, something the garden variety calc student doesn't even think about.

"I'm moving around meaningful symbols on a sheet of paper, which so elegantly corresponds to the state of affairs in the physical world as if by magic, and I don't care about the philosophical why. I just know it works."

Typical engineering student. He will definitely pass the subject.

The physical world doesn;t behave mathematically. Math just tries to quantify physical state. It's just a generally accepted medium. Just like how the same grammar keeps our communication on the same page.

By the way just because someone doesn't agree with 2+2= 1,00003 doesn't necessarily make that person a robot that only records and stores instead of understanding. In calc it's more important to understand than memorize formulas. It's not algebraic algorithms only.

And also nobody says you can't question math- you are more then welcome to do so, just have to be able to withstand the scrutiny.

Yes, math can and will explain the innermost workings of our universe. When a universally accepted "theory of everything" is proven it will do just that.

We have quantum physics and relativity, and the main challenge at the moment is to reconcile these two theories. I have no doubt whatsoever that if we survive long enough, we will have practical working knowledge of everything in our universe and it will have been gleaned through mathematical equations combined with physical experimentations such as what is being done in the LHC.

Originally posted by delicatessen
The physical world doesn;t behave mathematically. Math just tries to quantify physical state. It's just a generally accepted medium. Just like how the same grammar keeps our communication on the same page.

Ummm... I would have to disagree with you for reasons too many to mention...

By the way just because someone doesn't agree with 2+2= 1,00003 doesn't necessarily make that person a robot that only records and stores instead of understanding. In calc it's more important to understand than memorize formulas. It's not algebraic algorithms only.

Gotcha, agreed.

Although...
I wonder how much mathematical understanding engineers have compared to physicists.
I wonder how much mathematical understanding physicists have compared to mathematicians.
I wonder how much mathematical understanding mathematicians have compared to mathematician-philosophers.

I wonder if this kid with IQ170 is fit to be either an engineer, a physicist, a mathematician, or a mathematician-philosopher.

I say he'd make a good physicist, maybe even win a Nobel. But I doubt he'll win a Fields medal though. Sorry to be harsh. But let's not put too much pressure on the kid lolz...

He's no Gauss, or Godel, or Leibniz...

And also nobody says you can't question math- you are more then welcome to do so, just have to be able to withstand the scrutiny.

Agreed.

Originally posted by Gloster
Poor kid, he doesnt make sence, mother is very angry becouse of the dirty window and the dog freezed to death outside. He should play pc games or playstation 3

sense......poor response

This my friends, is the cure to AIDS! lol

This my friends, is the cure to AIDS! lol

Please STOP the Bickering, Sniping and Off Topic remarks


12 years old boy with higher IQ than Einstein developing his own theory of relativity

Have you ever thought what it might be like or even 'if' it's possible that the animal kingdom might have cases of Genius? For instance, a typical domesticated animal..... say a dog, or ape, or even a Dolphin. And the 'IQ' was off the charts..... And though maybe the vocal abillity was lacking, there was a way of comunicating, after all Stephan Hawking is only able to comunicate through a laser and eye aparatus. Just suppose a Genious subject was found and verified, then comunication established.... An interesting possability.

that's rreally cool.

Tehe...I knew there were gonna be a few pseudo-geniuses on this thread who were gonna hate on this kid ...grown ass people wanting to put down a 12 year old...on a website...*shakes head*...man oh man...that in itself is the mark of a truly small mind, so just shut it.

Keep this kid the hell away from ATS, or humanity for that matter.

I would just like to see what goes in a mind like this kid's. Must be insane.