Mathematics is the music of reason

“Mathematics is the way of life. It is like air, and is present everywhere.”

- [Anonymous]

We like it or not, we cannot deny the role of mathematics in our everyday life. It is present in every conscious decision we make. It echoes in the reasoning we give for every decision, regardless of whether it is a clever or a foolish reason. Just like how pleasant rhythm captures one and the noisy beat annoys, the clever reason pleases us while the foolish ones may irritate. Thus, this makes mathematics more subjective like a music, deviating it from its traditional image of objectivity.

In this essay, we will explore about the musical nature mathematics, when mathematics turns into a noise, and finally how to strike the right note to capture audience!

Before getting started, it is crucial to understand what mathematics really means.

Most of the children in schools complain about the complexity of mathematics. Some even curse the discovery of it! But this frustration is completely understandable because traditionally, mathematics has been projected as a problem to be overcome rather than as a problem-solving tool. Mathematics provides a problem-solving toolkit, comprising of various rational tools like formulas, axioms, properties, etc which are nothing but a manifestation of reasoning. That’s why it is called as “music of reason”, as just like how a music with its rhythm gives us pleasure, the mathematics with its reasoning, pleases us by giving a solution.

Consider a situation where there are 5 children and 10 chocolates. To help one distribute the chocolates equally among children, the mathematics provides variety of reasoning, or tools. Among all those tools, one can pick the formula of simple division, so that, each child gets a fair share of 2 chocolates. Thus, the mathematics has made the children rejoice with its elegant music of reason, just like how a good song with its radiant rhyme makes them dance.

But when we talk about music, however charming it may be, still the same one feels like a noise to some. Ever wondered why?

Music is subjective

Same music might not always resonate well with everyone. It often comes down to the preferences and taste of the audience who listens to it.

Consider the example of a rap song. While it may please the Gen Z (new generation kids), their parents, the older ones may still perceive it as a noise. This subjectivity is simply because of the generation gap that has altered their taste. While the older people demand peace, the younger ones thrive well in the energetic vibes of rap, thus, making music more personalized.

Well, it might be true that music can’t be completely universal enough to please everyone. But can’t mathematics not please all? It is highly objective and gives rational solutions, right?

This is a valid question that needs answering, so that, we can effectively inspect the complexity in decision making, when done at a larger scale.

Not a pleasure always

While distributing chocolates equally is a simple decision to make, when the problem is complex, the mathematical reasoning based on narrow ‘one-size-fits-all’ values often fail to address the problem effectively, thus creating noise!

Assume that there are 40 students in a class. When we apply the formula of simple division as we did earlier in case of distributing chocolates, one teacher spends the same number of hours with all the students. While this reasoning is justified in the name of equality, in reality, it actually worsens the intellectual divide in the class. This is because, it does not consider the difference in the grasping ability of each student, where some may need more time to grasp, while others may need no time at all. So, this same formula based on the narrow ‘one-size-fits-all’ value of equality, while helps some, leaves most in noisy-shadows forever.

So, here, the mathematical formula of simple division should be altered based on the broader value of equity, to inclusively share the benefits of education for all the students. Based on that, if customized teaching is done, spending time with students according to their grasping ability, then the results will be a melody for all rather than appealing just a few. Thus, it becomes crucial for us to customize mathematical reasoning based on broader inclusive values, making its musical solution more personally appealing for all.

Now, let me demonstrate similar orchestra of mathematics in government policy-making, which deals with problems of huge magnitude. Unless the bow is drawn over the strings gently in this violin named governance, the strings might snap causing chaos instead of charm!

Hit the right note

In governance, hitting the right note is crucial to please the stakeholders involved in a problem. But often, as discussed, when the values inspiring the mathematical reasoning becomes narrow, it tunnels the benefits to please only the privileged many, leaving others in ruins, thus, snapping the strings over time.

One such issue arises from dam constructions for hydropower. In such constructions, generally, the narrow utilitarian values make the mathematical reasoning to please the country’s majority. This involves concentration of the divided benefits of such construction towards them. But such a narrow value considering only the economic prosperity of nation’s majority, historically has neglected its negative impacts on various minority groups. Not only were the tribes got displaced without a suitable rehabilitation, also, animals and birds lost their habitat. Further, environmental loss was also not compensated. This in turn manifested itself in the form of naxalism, human-animal conflicts, and, climate change. While mathematical reasoning has the capacity to distribute the benefits to all the stakeholders, narrow value preferences can lead to poor mathematical reasoning, thus creating out of mathematics a chattering chaos opposed to melodious music.

Since this narrow utilitarian value was no more in tune with the expectations of every stakeholder, the value preferences of governments across the world have substantially broadened. They adopted sustainable & inclusive development as their values. This made the mathematical reasoning focus on harm-mitigation strategies together with inclusive distribution of benefits.

It provides for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) to be conducted before such constructions to estimate the loss, based on which the rehabilitation programs are designed for the affected tribes in prior. Further, the CAMPA, Compensatory Afforestation, helps to compensate for the loss the environment has sustained through calculated plantation drives. This not only gives a new home for the displaced animals and birds, but also prevents their dangerous contact with humans. So, we can infer that while mathematics can provide us with variety of logical roadmaps or formulas; to select the right reasoning, right values are necessary, preferably ethical values. That is when one can hit the right note.

So, the mathematics is not an abstract concept, but music of reason that connects with our heart, inspiring to make better decisions. Just like how music is personalized, mathematical reasoning also is shaped by the value preferences of people. The values that inspire the mathematical reasoning should consider all the unique conditions of all its variables to attain an inclusive and just solution. Despite ‘all’ being ideal, at the least most should feel satisfied, with less being affected. Thus, when the frequency we tune is based on ethical values, mathematics will produce a magnificent melody than a malicious misnote! 

Like how music emerges from friction between strings, the democracy thrives only via constructive discussions. So, share your views below!