Re: The audience for Mathematica (Was: Show doesn't work inside Do
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg102106] Re: The audience for Mathematica (Was: Show doesn't work inside Do
- From: dr DanW <dmaxwarren at gmail.com>
- Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:56:06 -0400 (EDT)
- References: <h4m4ca$ecg$1@smc.vnet.net>
I find that I am a much better mathematician since I have had Mathematica. It lets me concentrate on why I am doing math, instead of how. Students can get so wrapped up in the mechanics of taking a derivative that they forget what it means when they are done. The same questions were raised about the electronic calculator, and I am sure that erasable graphite technology went through the same thing from the chalk-and-slate people. I say it is a good thing to hand mechanical drudgery over to the nearest, most capable machine and free the human mind for the stuff that it was made for.