Introduction
Mathematics has never seemed fascinating to me. New material and methodologies are presented, you practice using the provided algorithms, and then you solve very specific types of problems using the information you have been given and have practiced. It’s kind of like putting together something from IKEA. Sure it’s confusing at first with the barrage of consonants and strange accent characters, but with a little diligence when it’s all said and done you’ve put together a piece of fully functioning furniture – and you feel a mild sense of accomplishment until you remember that the Daily Show is on in 10 minutes. That was how I felt about Mathematics. I could work really hard, diligently dedicate myself, and four months later, I could solve a bunch of problems that held equivalent fulfillment to correctly assembling a LIATORP (IKEA Storage / TV Bench) for my living room.
That has all changed in the past two weeks…
A Newly Lit Horizon
I’ve had the privilege of studying with someone who, aside from being profoundly gifted in Mathematics, without exception refuses to memorize any formulas (the one and only Robert D. West, for those of you wondering to whom I refer). At first, I looked upon this poor soul like he was some geriatric that refused to keep an electronic calendar (and then endlessly bickered about never “fitting in” to people’s schedule). However, he has uniquely provided me the opportunity to really learn what mathematics is. I was never aware that more complex concepts could be derived from simple ones, building blocks could be used to create more complex structures, and as those structures increased in complexity, the problems that could be solved became more abstract and comprehensive. Throughout the past week my persistent whine of “I can’t remember the formula for [insert mind-numbing calculus formula here]” would be met with the reply of “let’s figure it out.” Figure it out? That’s like trying to get from Wisconsin to Florida without a map! You can’t figure that out there’s a route we need to take you Ass Monkey! But I was wrong, egregiously wrong, and suddenly I began to see the perfect world that consumed the lives of so many our histories’ greatest minds. There was a reverential beauty that I can only compare to that of the human body in its ability to regenerate and heal itself in absolute perfection. Everything made sense, everything worked, and the concepts that in the past had been irrelevantly disjointed were slowly revealed to me as a perfect, contiguous landscape of another dimension.
Ironically, I feel more connected to my Mathematics professors who, in the past, I scornfully rebuked for their chronic tardiness, incapacity for social interaction, poor hygiene, and fashion misfitism. I can finally see the landscape to which they have dedicated their lives, and although I wish they’d wear matching socks once a week and at least pretend to be genuinely interested in a conversation, I can now truly sympathize with the beauty that they find in their world of Mathematics.
Although this program may end before it starts with my performance on Thursday’s Final, I would consider this to have been a worthy endeavor because I have been given the privilege to see the world of Mathematics for what it truly is: one of the few, entirely man-made dimensions of beauty and perfection.