Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Is Algebra Necessary?

I agree wholeheartedly with Mathwonk. Is calculus beyond some otherwise well-educated people? Probably-- it includes certain abstract concepts that I think some people probably aren't hard-wired to grasp. But I don't think that algebra is in that category.




?? How does that follow from anything that anyone has thus far stated? If you look at my post, my statement was that any scientist needs a working understanding, and that any scientifically literate person needs to know-- well, basically they need to understand what it is that calculus does.

That's the difference between understanding how an internal combustion engine is put together versus the fact that it converts chemical fuel into useable mechanical work. A mechanic needs to know the former, and anyone that uses a car probably needs no more than the latter.

And yes, maybe we SHOULD stop teaching scientific "facts" without the context of the underlying scientific process, quite honestly. That's not what science is fundamentally, and it leads to no end of abysmal reporting and lawmaking that there is such confusion on this point.