Hello

[Dr. Why]

Hello, my name is Alex. In every MBTI test I have taken online, I have scored INTP. I find this type to describe me quite well, and after doing some research on INTPS, I came across this forum.

The topics here seem interesting, and responses as far as I can tell are logical and driven by reason. I am glad to find somewhere were people actually think similar to me. Well, I guess I sould tell everyone a bit about myself as well. I am seventeen, I have just graduated High School, and plan to study Political Science, at college next fall.

I am an atheist, and what could be described as a libertarian Republican, I supported Ron Paul in 2008. My hobbies include reading, listening to music, writing short stories(though I rarely finish them), and recently I have been dabbling in computers.

Books I am currently reading include Godel, Escher, and Bach: an Eternal golden braid, and Catch 22

My favorite books include Dune, Lord of the Rings, 1984, Lolita, and many others.

 

[Linsejko]

Lolita, that one's supposed to be controversial, right? Didn't IKEA accidentally call one of their beds the 'Lolita' and stir up a lot of controversy a few months ago?

Welcome, Dr. Why. You wouldn't happen to know where Dr. Who is, would you?

.L

 

[Dr. Why]

I just read about that, apparently the retailer did not know about the book. Though I do think it is a rather odd name to pick out of nowhere.

I am a big Dr.Who fan, I watch it every friday.

 

[CowSavior]

I am repelled from this sticky at the mention of Dr. Who.

 

[Aphasia]

Who? What?...Why?

Anyway, welcome. Feel free to go around causing disturbances, but try not to time travel; it messes up the local quantum and I'm too busy to patch it up.

 

[Jesin]

Hmm. Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid. I've heard good thins about that book, and I have read a few things written in the same Achilles/Tortoise format used in every other chapter. I've only read a little bit of the actual book, though. I guess you would know from that book what I mean by levels of abstraction without reading my explanation? Anyway, I know where I can borrow a copy of GEB:EGB from, and I may do that soon.

 

[Dr. Why]

Yes, I believe I am familiar with that. How we go through three levels Objects, Experiences, and Concepts. So far I enjoy the book quite a bit, and it is making me want to learn more complex math. On a side note, really I have just started to get into mathematics, I have usually never cared for it, or found it difficult. (just out of curiosity are there any other INTPS that were or are indifferent to math at some point or points before)

 

[Ermine]

I've never liked math that much. I can do fine with it, but I just don't care. Why should I work out a math problem if it has no real application and a calculator could do it?

 

[Linsejko]

I found the repitition required in all of my mathematics classes utterly boring. :\

That always put me off of it. I like reading/thinking about more complex/abstract elements of higher math, but I never found the motivation to wade through the tedium ad nauseam of low quality math education.

Shame, with a good teacher I imagine I could have become immersed.

fyi, it is standard in most places to use "INTPs" instead of "INTPS", so as to distinguish the last letter as separate from the acronym.

.L

 

[Dr. Why]

I found the repitition required in all of my mathematics classes utterly boring. :\

That always put me off of it. I like reading/thinking about more complex/abstract elements of higher math, but I never found the motivation to wade through the tedium ad nauseam of low quality math education.

Shame, with a good teacher I imagine I could have become immersed.

fyi, it is standard in most places to use "INTPs" instead of "INTPS", so as to distinguish the last letter as separate from the acronym.

.L

That is actually how I feel about math. Also, thank you for the grammatical advice.

 

[Jesin]

I'd say my worst math teacher (and my worst teacher overall) was my 4th grade teacher. She would not accept any answers other than those in the book. I still remember losing a point for answering the question "How do these decimal squares help you solve these problems?" with "They don't help me, they just slow me down." (This was back when we were adding decimal numbers by coloring in certain numbers of columns and squares in those stupid 10 x 10 grids.)

I think the best math teacher I've had so far is my current one, the author of this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Years-Before-Blackboard-Mathematics/dp/0883855259

Very fun.

 

[loveofreason]

Hi Dr. Why, welcome.

An Eternal Golden Braid sounds fascinating.

 

[Linsejko]

Sounds like an excellent teacher, Jessin. I envy you.

Always a pleasure, Doctor.

.L