> When most people speak of Math, what they have in mind is more its mechanism than its essence. This "Math" consists of assigning meaning to a set of symbols, blindly shuffling* around these symbols according to arcane rules, and then interpreting a meaning from the shuffled result. The process is not unlike casting lots.*
Wow, sounds like someone doesn't really understand math.
Brett Victor is very accomplished. I'm pretty sure he understands math. Personally speaking if Brett Victor had a different opinion about something than me than I'd pay careful attention, because I'm probably missing something.
That's precisely his point. The "UI" for math obfuscates what it's actually about. Math is full of purity and simplicity, but the notation and algorithms we start out teaching kids are anything but.
Wow, sounds like someone doesn't really understand math.