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Is Math A Sport?
theodp writes "The close of the International Mathematical Olympiad prompts Slate to question if math is a sport, wondering if mathletes might someday compete in the Olympics alongside track stars and basketball players."
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Absolutely ridiculous. If math is a sport then what isn't a sport. Fuck. The world has gone nuts.
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If curling is a sport, anything is possible.
No question about it -- they are.
Here are some traits of a sport:
(1) It's something that you can train for -- and, with training, improve in
(2) It's something in which your progress and fitness and skill/talent can be measured
(3) It's something in which some people are just naturally gifted and others can achieve at a level commensurate with their effort -- to a point. At some higher levels of mathematics, though -- just like at some levels of athletics (e.g. the Tour de France, the Olympics), no amount of training can overcome a genetic deficiency.
Most of all, both (mathematics & sports) are fun!
Well, if World Series Of Poker can be broacasted on ESPN, then I guess math is a sport.
Math should be a sport as much as 0 equals 1.
I would like to see a mathematical proof written to support the claim.
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It's an art.
If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
Just about every word in the english language has multiple definitions. You know, when you look in the dictionary and there are numbers 1,2,3, etc. Lets' take a look at one in the OED.
I. 1. a. Pleasant pastime; entertainment or amusement; recreation, diversion.
If you use that one, then yes, math can be a sport for some people.
d. Participation in games or exercises, esp. those of an athletic character or pursued in the open air; such games or amusements collectively.
That one depends on how you do the math.
c. spec. Pastime afforded by the endeavour to take or kill wild animals, game, or fish. Freq. with adjs. referring to the result achieved.
no, math is not a sport. Unless you can make a funny joke about how doing math kills wild animals. See replies to this post for witty comments.
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And in addition:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Oh, my, Is my math degree showing?
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In all real sports you can reasonable expect someone to get injured.
If someone isn't going to get hurt.. why bother!
Math:
The study of the measurement, properties, and relationships of quantities and sets, using numbers and symbols.
Sport:
An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
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You are missing one of the main criteria for sports. You have to be able to stop someone else from scoring or getting what they want. In all games, there is a defense for the offense. What can you defensivly do to stop someone in math?
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Math is not a sport. Problem solving could be considered to be similar to a sport. You don't actually train on Math; you learn Math, and you train on solving problems. And you can show your progress and fitness (and speed) on solving a particular class of problems. I did, and I won the Olimpíada Matemática Argentina in 1989 and I would have gone to the International Mathematics Olympiad, if only the stupid government of Raúl Alfonsín (Argentina's president at the time) hadn't leaked all the central bank's reserves into every politician's pocket.
Plus, these competitions are also very fun (for those who like Math).
Math is interesting, math is fun, math is usefull, but math is not a sport.
From WordNet (r) 2.0:
sport
n 1: an active diversion requiring physical exertion and
competition [syn: athletics]
Many people cite it as a "non-sport," but synchronized swimming is incredibly difficult, both athletically and otherwise. Here's a way for you to find out:
swim 60 meters underwater.
stay underwater 3 out of 5 minutes.
train in a pool 7 days a week in addition to a periodized weight regimen and plyometrics.
Those things are just auxiliary. As a prerequisite, you must to have incredible overall swimming skills, cardiovascular and muscular endurance, great strength, agility, balance, discipline and superbly-honed technique.
Yeah, but so is eating hotdogs and chasing monkeys while covered in tar. I'd say take anything from Japan with a grain of salt. :)
Step 1: Assume Math is a sport.
Step 2: If Math is a sport, all Math nerds are athletes.
Step 3: All atheletes are jocks (remember high school?).
Step 4: All jocks beat up math nerds (again, re: high school).
Conclusion: All Math nerds beat up math nerds.
But: I am a math nerd, and have never beaten anyone up (including myself or any another math nerd).
This is a contradiction.
Ergo, Math isn't a sport.
QED
I don't doubt synchronized swimming requires a lot of strength, endurance, training and practise, and deserve international competitions of their own.
But they don't really seem to have the same goals as the other olympic sports; being first, the highest, furtherest, or the fastest (having been derived from ancient warfare from the Mediterranean).
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