[extropy-chat] Maths ability

[Jef Allbright]

On 3/5/06, ben <benboc at lineone.net> wrote:
> What?!
> I'm not sure if i understand what you mean. Are you saying that you (and
> Adrian) have some kind of intuition about maths, and answers spring out
> at you in the way that, say, spelling mistakes in a sentence can?
>
> If so, i find that idea deeply wierd.

I'll jump in to say that I have strong mathematical intuition, but
it's predominately geometrical (rather than numerical) and this same
way of conceptualizing for me applies to math, logic, semantics,
relatedness of concepts, degree of certainty, human relationships and
actions, business strategy, and more.  It's all graphs, shapes and
vectors in my imagination.

Even art, music, and emotion seem mostly geometrical to me.  [Yes, I
have feelings, but even while feeling intense sadness or joy I usually
have a mental picture of the emotions as complex vectors interacting
with my previous state.]

If I try to explain this to others, most people think it is
unimaginably strange and eerily inhuman.  I would much rather extend
this than give it up though.

- Jef