Software engineers need real reasons for mathematics
Author: Keith Devlin
Translation: g9yuayon
This article translated from the Communication of ACM Volume 44, No. 10, 2001
Software engineers often claim any mathematical knowledge they have learned in college. When they say this, they will also say how much computer expertise learned in college. I have been engaged in mathematics for 30 years, let others talk about computer professional situations, but I have to frankly admit that the software engineers are too right for the use of mathematics: they are not using math.
But they are too wrong. They use mathematics learned in college every day.
In fact, this has no contradiction. The key is what is the word "use". One understanding is that software engineers have met in mathematics class. For example, after schoolging in high schools, students use this method to solve the corresponding exercises and exam questions. This so-called "use" is most common, and it is also when the software engineer said they never refer to college mathematics. However, this understanding is based on the viewpoint of "filling" in the way.
According to this "filling" view, education is mainly in our mind, and the main thing we have learned is to fill the things that I will enter. I dare to say that this kind of education is highly simplified and wrong. However, the current education system (I also placed it), people start, and then set up a three-hour anti-circular written test (translation: three-hour written test is the standard of the Northern American University final exam) to test the effect. It is this way, once again nourishing education is the concept of filling.
In contrast, there are a large number of studies on brain working methods and learning methods for decades. Mastering knowledge and algorithm-like systemization is just a look of people's learning process (we know those appearance, because we are general They will quickly forget what they learned in the class after the end of the exam. The true value of education is not here. Our brain may be the best example of the world's adaptive system. When we let the brain experience long-term education, the brain will have a permanent change. From a physical point of view, a part of the conducted nerve fiber chain in the brain further grows and is strengthened. From the perspective of function and experience, we have obtained new knowledge and skills. The more the learning process is repeated, the stronger the above changes, the longer it.
Repeat the effect of studying in mathematics, other disciplines do not have their right. Formal mathematics is about 56 years old. In the history of a long evolution in 5,000 years, it is definitely only enough for our brain to make the most subtle changes. Therefore, although the number of abstract numbers in 5,000 to 8,000 years ago, human mathematics thinking has been issued more than a long time. We developed the ability to think of nature and society in the original natural selection, but new changes in the human brain should comply with our ability, so that we don't examilize the world, and we can also wear our minds. The pure abstract world of creation.
Abstract extreme difficulties in the new level of human brain. This is why it is until the 18th century mathematician can handle zero and negative numbers, and why not accept a negative root root today.
However, software engineering is related to abstraction, each of its concepts, opinions, and methods are completely abstract. Of course, many software engineers don't think so, but this is the point of view. The biggest benefits they get from mathematics are the strict deduction of pure abstract objects and structures. Moreover, the mathematics class is the only subject to this experience. This experience is not an important thing in the classroom, but it itself is mathematical. In daily life, familiar with breeding is slow, and when learning how to work in a highly abstract field, it is familiar with the feeling, hey, familiarity - means that there is a feeling of abstract things began to become specific Therefore, it becomes more easy to deal with.
Although learning mathematics brings a large number of ordinary people, everyone can benefit from now. For example, the Reilly Report demonstrates that students who have tried strict algebra or geometric lessons in high school are more excellent, and they are better after learning, regardless of them in college What is learning? In other words, it seems that the completion of a strict mathematics class - the students don't even have to learn how good - is a great way to make people's thinking ability and become extra-time. This thinking ability can benefit all aspects. (I am in my own book, "Math Gene: Mathematics Thinking How to Evasting Why is Basic Books, 2000), I carefully analyze the views of this article, and determine which survival advantages have made human beings Mathematical thinking.)
As I referred to in this essay, learning mathematics is much more beneficial to software engineers. In fact, this is the basic prerequisite. Although it is not mentioned in the requirements of the compulsory mathematics class of the engineering department, it is indeed a real reason why mathematics is useful.
Keith Devlin (Devlin@csli.stanford.edu) is the Executive Director of the University of Stanford University and Information Research Center
