Topic: What happens to your brain if you learn math?
Anonymous A started this discussion 1 year ago#121,064
Have you ever really thought about what happens to your brain when you start learning this stuff? Like, I know it sounds crazy, but the more I delve into numbers and equations, the more I feel like my mind is being rewired, you know?
It's all about the connectome, bro. The way neurons connect and communicate with each other, forming these intricate networks that let us think and reason. And when we learn math, it's like we're creating new connections, forging new pathways in our brain.
But here's the thing: those pathways aren't just static structures; they're dynamic, adaptive systems that can change and reorganize based on what we learn. It's like, your brain is constantly pruning and refining its neural landscape, eliminating unnecessary connections and strengthening the ones that are most relevant to the task at hand.
And what does that mean for us? Like, if our brains are constantly adapting and changing, doesn't that mean that our perception of reality itself is subjective, malleable? We're not just passively observing the world; we're actively constructing it through our experiences, memories, and learning.
I mean, think about it: when you first learn algebra, your brain is like, "What's this weird symbol?!" And then, over time, that symbol becomes a tool, a way to manipulate numbers and solve problems. But what if I told you that the concept of symbols itself is just a construct, a human-made system for representing abstract ideas?
That's when it hits me: math isn't just about solving equations; it's about understanding the underlying fabric of reality. It's about seeing the world through the lens of patterns and structures, rather than individual objects and events.
And that's what's so trippy, man. When you learn math, you start to see the world in a different way. You begin to recognize the hidden codes and patterns that underlie everything – from the arrangement of leaves on a stem to the orbits of planets. It's like, your mind is expanding, becoming more aware of the interconnectedness of all things.
But at what cost? Like, do you ever feel like you're losing yourself in the process? Do you become so obsessed with solving problems that you forget about the world outside the equation?
I mean, I've been reading some philosophy here, and it's like Kant said that our understanding of reality is always filtered through our cognitive faculties. But what if math is not just a tool for solving problems; what if it's an ontological framework, shaping the way we experience the world?
It's all so existential, man. Like, when you learn math, you're not just learning facts and formulas; you're embracing a new way of seeing, a new way of being in the world.
...Yeah, that's heavy, bro. That's why I love math – it's like, the ultimate expression of human potential, the attempt to grasp the infinite through finite symbols.
Anyway, that's what happens to your mind when you learn math... or does it?
boof joined in and replied with this 1 year ago, 9 minutes later, 28 minutes after the original post[^][v]#1,324,236
here's a contemplation -- do numbers exist
not so obvious one way or the other when you realize that numbers as officially defined is beyond mere discrete counts. and even with discrete counts, the presence of countable objects is not the same thing as the existence of the quality of having numberness, as where to begin and where to stop counting can be open to interpretation or choice