Quote: "Rigorous reasoning is crucial in mathematics, and insight plays an important secondary role these days. In the natural sciences, I would say that the order of these two virtues is reversed. Rigor is, of course, very important. But the most important value is insight--insight into the workings of the world. It may be because there is another guarantor of correctness in the sciences, namely, the empirical evidence from observation and experiments."
Kannan Jagannathan, Professor of Physics, Amherst College
Insight without Reasoning is a child's play; Reasoning without Insight is a mere fantasy. And so do these two virtues in varying proportions come for humanity's rescue.
Being a keen observer, I have relished a close relationship with my Insights. My Insights which have like angel's wings lifted me up from the ordinary and immersed me into the domains of the extraordinary. Using my Insights, I have solved several of my life problems, foresaw the end to sporting events, intuitively solved math's' problems, and deeply understood the human bond. Though, Insights cannot be learned but only experienced, I am dedicated to devote my years after school towards gaining more Insights.
My ability to reason, on the other hand, is essential to my lifestyle. I am often caught up in hypothetical Reasoning, whereby assuming A is true, I try to prove B is true/false. Once in a while, I invent a thought experiment to pit my Insights against my Reasoning, and see who wins the fight. Although, it does not matter who wins it, it is always 'I' who benefit from it as their fights broaden my awareness of the world. Though being well versed in Reasoning, I believe there's a lot more to learn, a big part of which I plan learn during my erudition at Amherst.
Recently, I have indulged myself in an activity that has strengthened my belief about the connectedness of the two virtues. I have been for long interested by the ability of rotating bodies to balance themselves, and having been turned down by literally every source of enlightenment, I decided to take matters in my hand. Using both my Insights and Reasoning, I was well able to explain not only the balancing act of rotating bodies, but also other mysterious properties of rotation.
Kannan Jagannathan, Professor of Physics, Amherst College
Insight without Reasoning is a child's play; Reasoning without Insight is a mere fantasy. And so do these two virtues in varying proportions come for humanity's rescue.
Being a keen observer, I have relished a close relationship with my Insights. My Insights which have like angel's wings lifted me up from the ordinary and immersed me into the domains of the extraordinary. Using my Insights, I have solved several of my life problems, foresaw the end to sporting events, intuitively solved math's' problems, and deeply understood the human bond. Though, Insights cannot be learned but only experienced, I am dedicated to devote my years after school towards gaining more Insights.
My ability to reason, on the other hand, is essential to my lifestyle. I am often caught up in hypothetical Reasoning, whereby assuming A is true, I try to prove B is true/false. Once in a while, I invent a thought experiment to pit my Insights against my Reasoning, and see who wins the fight. Although, it does not matter who wins it, it is always 'I' who benefit from it as their fights broaden my awareness of the world. Though being well versed in Reasoning, I believe there's a lot more to learn, a big part of which I plan learn during my erudition at Amherst.
Recently, I have indulged myself in an activity that has strengthened my belief about the connectedness of the two virtues. I have been for long interested by the ability of rotating bodies to balance themselves, and having been turned down by literally every source of enlightenment, I decided to take matters in my hand. Using both my Insights and Reasoning, I was well able to explain not only the balancing act of rotating bodies, but also other mysterious properties of rotation.