Political Crossfire Forums

perdidochas · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 15424 Location: Florida

Otacon wrote: perdidochas wrote: Otacon wrote: I approve of unschooling because the only things I would choose not to take would be my Algebra II class and the Geometry class i'll take next year. I will have no use for anything beyond basic mathematics, therefore I can't see any logical reason why I should have to take these classes. Many say that I don't know what I want to be when I get older and that I will need it, but my father is an English professor at a university and he can't do any math beyond what's required to balance his checkbook. I am not going to take up a profession that requires math. Get over it. I don't like math and I don't see why I should have to take it anymore. I passed Algebra I. That's enough. Time for me to move on to bigger and better thigns.

So you have already chosen to limit yourself to non-mathematical professions. Sounds to me like you've limited your possible income by quite a bit.

I'd rather make much less money than to have a profession that requires math.

Go for it. Just don't start whining in 10 yrs about not having a good job because you got an inadequate math education. What's your problem with math?

The Grandmaster · Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 2:06 pm Post subject:

Well, almost all majors in college require basic math anyway, so I'd suggest getting as far as you can in high school. By "basic math" I mean most majors will require at least entry level calculus.

MplsBison · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 3380

StrikeEmd15 wrote: Now, the primary reason I go to my high school is primarily because most of my best firends are there. If they weren't there, I simply wouldn't go. Now, any thoughts, arguments, comments, etc?

The solution is not "unschooling".

The solution is to get people who have no desire to be at school out and start them in a manual labor job.

LostSoul3412 · Joined: 10 Feb 2005 Posts: 8933

Otacon wrote: I'd rather make much less money than to have a profession that requires math.

"Would you like fries with that?"

LostSoul3412 · Joined: 10 Feb 2005 Posts: 8933

Anyone that complains about having to take math, clearly hasn't gotten to college.

I don't know about other universities, but I am currently taking a philosophy course (logic), and will eventually take an economics course (statistics), which would fulfill my math requirements for graduation from the core of common studies.

So if you hate math, shut up and study, because in college you can take philosophy and economics instead.

Then again, if you don't take math classes you'd never get to college anyway... :think:

The purpose of education is not to mold you for a job. The purpose of education is the educate you as much as possible, so that you are better informed in many areas. It is better to know a little of everything, than it is to know a lot of one specific field.

My advice: learn as much as you can, and let your talents/desires determine where to go from there. You shouldn't be specializing your studies until your junior year of college.

Prole · Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 2327 Location: Edinburgh

The Grandmaster wrote: Well, almost all majors in college require basic math anyway, so I'd suggest getting as far as you can in high school. By "basic math" I mean most majors will require at least entry level calculus.
In Brittish schools, you can get into pretty much any humanities course and do fine with nothing more than algebra. I'm doing ancient history, for instance, and while some basics statistics knowledge is good and I would certainly benefit from a grounding in economics, going as far as calculus is not necessary. Even architects do not need much math training.

American universities, I believe, require some degree mathematics even if not directly integral to one's major, but certainly not to the level of calculus. For all university courses; a year of study is pretty typical, but it can be stats or something else.

I can certainly understand why physics, engineering, etc need calculus, but it really is not required for courses like sociology.

Protostar · Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:23 pm Post subject:

perdidochas wrote: Otacon wrote: perdidochas wrote: Otacon wrote: I approve of unschooling because the only things I would choose not to take would be my Algebra II class and the Geometry class i'll take next year. I will have no use for anything beyond basic mathematics, therefore I can't see any logical reason why I should have to take these classes. Many say that I don't know what I want to be when I get older and that I will need it, but my father is an English professor at a university and he can't do any math beyond what's required to balance his checkbook. I am not going to take up a profession that requires math. Get over it. I don't like math and I don't see why I should have to take it anymore. I passed Algebra I. That's enough. Time for me to move on to bigger and better thigns.

So you have already chosen to limit yourself to non-mathematical professions. Sounds to me like you've limited your possible income by quite a bit.

I'd rather make much less money than to have a profession that requires math.

Go for it. Just don't start whining in 10 yrs about not having a good job because you got an inadequate math education. What's your problem with math?

I think most people's problem with math is not the subject itself but the fact that they have a difficult time understanding it. At least thats my problem with it. I'm having a terribly difficult time with college calculus (ive failed like two calc classes already) and thats with tutorial help.

LostSoul3412 wrote: It is better to know a little of everything, than it is to know a lot of one specific field.

Thats a POV that I'll never understand. Why the hell do I need to know about plate tectonics or how hurricanes form as an accountant? Its a waste of my time, and IMO is done to insure that professors, who would otherwise be out of a job, have something to do. I think you should only have to take courses relevant to your major. I got enough of this "well rounded" BS in HS.

Otacon · Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:08 pm Post subject:

LostSoul3412 wrote: Otacon wrote: I'd rather make much less money than to have a profession that requires math.

"Would you like fries with that?"

You wish. I love how everyone thinks that if you don't know high-level math you are going to work at McDonald's. :lol: Seriously, I'll learn enough to pass college Algebra, but past that I won't need it. I'm not planning to attend a huge school, instead I'm going to a smaller school to get an English degree there. I know for a fact that you only need to pass the basic college Algebra to major in English there.