Re: (ReacTor) Defining Our Terms: What Do We Mean by "Hard SF"?

Paul S Person  <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:

On 22 Aug 2024 23:12:48 -0000, kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

>
I think memorizing integral tables is kind of a standard thing for
engineering calc classes.  The whole point of the class is to be able to
solve hairy integrals as quickly as possible and there's no time to =

derive

anything that you can memorize.  If you try to derive everything you'll
never get through a fraction of the exams in time.

>
Ah.
>
Teaching to the test.

No, not at all.  The purpose of the class is to teach a specific set of
skills, which is to say rapid integration and derivation, because those
skills will later be required in engineering classes and then in the real
world of engineering.

That is, it's skills training and not education.

Except that engineering has changed a bit since then and although we still
need to be able to plug and chug very quickly, we have machines to do the
hard work now.

But it IS nice to be able to solve things like optimization problems and
volume integrals on the back of an envelope during meetings while other
people are saying they'll have to run a simulation and get back in a week.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."