math project

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Kate Sams

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Jul 10, 2017, 5:43:21 PM7/10/17
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goal: to become better at math, to have fun, to improve ability to think abstractly and see patterns.

current plan: spend 30-60 minutes 3 times a week going thru the Art of Problem Solving series

where to start: https://artofproblemsolving.com/store/item/prealgebra

how far in the series to go: ?

any comments or crit? any suggestions about the series?


Justin Mallone

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Jul 10, 2017, 8:44:48 PM7/10/17
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On Jul 10, 2017, at 5:43 PM, Kate Sams ksam...@gmail.com [fallible-ideas] <fallibl...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

> goal: to become better at math, to have fun, to improve ability to think abstractly and see patterns.

Why do you wanna learn math specifically compared to other stuff?

> current plan: spend 30-60 minutes 3 times a week going thru the Art of Problem Solving series
>
> where to start: https://artofproblemsolving.com/store/item/prealgebra
>
> how far in the series to go: ?
>
> any comments or crit? any suggestions about the series?

I did the first book in AoPS (pre-algebra) and some material from other books.

i think the series explains stuff better than most books. there’s companion videos available on youtube from Richard Rusczyk that are decent as well.

I ran out of steam doing it as a project though. partially cuz i didn’t have a really good specific reason i wanted to learn the stuff. like i was just trying to learn math without a good “why?”

are you really into math, and this is you taking your interest to the next level? if so, okay, but i didn’t get that impression from your goal description

-JM

Kate Sams

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Jul 11, 2017, 10:39:56 AM7/11/17
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topic: my math project and a note about meta

On Jul 10, 2017, at 8:44 PM, Justin Mallone just...@gmail.com [fallible-ideas] <fallibl...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

> On Jul 10, 2017, at 5:43 PM, Kate Sams ksam...@gmail.com [fallible-ideas] <fallibl...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>> goal: to become better at math, to have fun, to improve ability to think abstractly and see patterns.
>
> Why do you wanna learn math specifically compared to other stuff?

after doing one of the Self Authoring courses, i realized how much i enjoyed solving math problems in the past. so a big part of wanting to do math now is that i think it could be fun.

also, i have this vague idea that learning math could, in general, improve my thinking skills and be useful in specific situations, e.g. when analyzing studies where math is discussed.

>> current plan: spend 30-60 minutes 3 times a week going thru the Art of Problem Solving series
>>
>> where to start: https://artofproblemsolving.com/store/item/prealgebra
>>
>> how far in the series to go: ?
>>
>> any comments or crit? any suggestions about the series?
>
> I did the first book in AoPS (pre-algebra) and some material from other books.
>
> i think the series explains stuff better than most books. there’s companion videos available on youtube from Richard Rusczyk that are decent as well.

ok

> I ran out of steam doing it as a project though. partially cuz i didn’t have a really good specific reason i wanted to learn the stuff. like i was just trying to learn math without a good “why?”

even tho you ran out of steam, do you think it was a mistake to start the project and complete the parts you did? what did you get out of the project?

> are you really into math, and this is you taking your interest to the next level? if so, okay, but i didn’t get that impression from your goal description

“really into” is too strong, but there’s also more than zero interest in doing math for it’s own sake. at this point, i don’t know how long the project will last or what it’s going to end up looking like.

————

meta note: the first-order discussion in this thread is about my math project and why I am choosing it. even though i’m talking about myself in the thread, i don’t think the above qualifies as meta-discussion.

otoh, this note is second-order discussion. i’m not talking about my math project here. instead i’m commenting on the attributes of the first-order discussion (my math project). so this is meta-discussion. this comment is on a different level.

thots? i included this meta-discussion note to check for errors in my understanding of meta-discussion.



Justin Mallone

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Jul 12, 2017, 9:35:44 PM7/12/17
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On Jul 11, 2017, at 10:39 AM, Kate Sams ksam...@gmail.com [fallible-ideas] <fallibl...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
> topic: my math project and a note about meta
>
> On Jul 10, 2017, at 8:44 PM, Justin Mallone just...@gmail.com [fallible-ideas] <fallibl...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>> On Jul 10, 2017, at 5:43 PM, Kate Sams ksam...@gmail.com [fallible-ideas] <fallibl...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>>
>>> goal: to become better at math, to have fun, to improve ability to think abstractly and see patterns.
>>
>> Why do you wanna learn math specifically compared to other stuff?
>
> after doing one of the Self Authoring courses, i realized how much i enjoyed solving math problems in the past. so a big part of wanting to do math now is that i think it could be fun.

why’d u stop mathing?

> also, i have this vague idea that learning math could, in general, improve my thinking skills and be useful in specific situations, e.g. when analyzing studies where math is discussed.

it could help sure.

BTW if you wanna improve your thinking skills, what about logic?

i studied some logic as part of LSAT prep years ago and it was helpful for overall ability to follow args..

>>> current plan: spend 30-60 minutes 3 times a week going thru the Art of Problem Solving series
>>>
>>> where to start: https://artofproblemsolving.com/store/item/prealgebra
>>>
>>> how far in the series to go: ?
>>>
>>> any comments or crit? any suggestions about the series?
>>
>> I did the first book in AoPS (pre-algebra) and some material from other books.
>>
>> i think the series explains stuff better than most books. there’s companion videos available on youtube from Richard Rusczyk that are decent as well.
>
> ok
>
>> I ran out of steam doing it as a project though. partially cuz i didn’t have a really good specific reason i wanted to learn the stuff. like i was just trying to learn math without a good “why?”
>
> even tho you ran out of steam, do you think it was a mistake to start the project and complete the parts you did? what did you get out of the project?

it was a mistake, yes. but not a total waste. and way better than some potential alternative uses of time!

i’m way more comfortable with some basic math stuff and can follow a friend of mine’s math analogies better. and friend is good at philosophy too so that’s helpful.

>> are you really into math, and this is you taking your interest to the next level? if so, okay, but i didn’t get that impression from your goal description
>
> “really into” is too strong, but there’s also more than zero interest in doing math for it’s own sake. at this point, i don’t know how long the project will last or what it’s going to end up looking like.

i’d recommend focusing on projects where you have a more concrete goal.

if you wanted to learn the specific maths you need to understand some study that’s relevant to a discussion, that could be fine. but atm it kinda sounds like you wanna learn some of the maths and you don’t really know why or how much or what for.

> meta note: the first-order discussion in this thread is about my math project and why I am choosing it. even though i’m talking about myself in the thread, i don’t think the above qualifies as meta-discussion.
>
> otoh, this note is second-order discussion. i’m not talking about my math project here. instead i’m commenting on the attributes of the first-order discussion (my math project). so this is meta-discussion. this comment is on a different level.
>
> thots? i included this meta-discussion note to check for errors in my understanding of meta-discussion.

what problem are you trying to solve exactly? were you not sure that talking about a conversation was different than the conversation itself, and you wanted to check that that was correct? or what? i’m confused, as i don’t really get the point of this note.

-JM

Kate Sams

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Jul 13, 2017, 4:18:07 PM7/13/17
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topic: when is it meta?
to better understand meta-discussion

> were you not sure that talking about a conversation was different than the conversation itself, and you wanted to check that that was correct?

i knew they were different, but i wasn’t really clear that that was the KEY issue making something meta.

like the topic itself isn’t the key issue. e.g. you could write a non-meta essay comparing different discussion styles.

or you could write about your preferences regarding your personal math project and use the word “i” a lot. (this could be parochial, tho. so watch for that.***)

but the words “i” or “you” don’t necessarily mean it’s meta. even tho often they do indicate meta (in form, if not also content).

e.g. “i think you are wrong about creationism cuz X.” is meta in form. it’d be better to remove the meta and strictly stay on topic and write, “creationism is mistaken cuz X.”


for something to be meta (in content), you need both of these things:

- a change in topic
- the new topic is about the attributes of the discussion, it’s participants, the forum




*** http://curi.us/1949-meta-discussion-isnt-bad

> the actual problem is parochial content that isn't of general interest. that includes stuff about specific people, events, times, places, activities (including conversations) that lack objective importance and value.



Kate Sams

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Jul 13, 2017, 6:34:59 PM7/13/17
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On Jul 13, 2017, at 4:18 PM, Kate Sams ksam...@gmail.com [fallible-ideas] <fallibl...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

> On Jul 12, 2017, at 9:35 PM, Justin Mallone just...@gmail.com [fallible-ideas] <fallibl...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>> were you not sure that talking about a conversation was different than the conversation itself, and you wanted to check that that was correct?
>
> i knew they were different, but i wasn’t really clear that that was the KEY issue making something meta.

there’s dishonesty here.

the truth is that i wasn’t clear. yet i said "i wasn’t really clear”.

this biased, dishonest phrasing leaves open the possibility that i was more clear on the issue than what i actually was. e.g. that i was clear, just not *really* clear.


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