Abstract algebra has become both a favorite hobby and the bane of my existence. The nuances and caveats are so grand, they swallow me up like sink holes. It's difficult to appreciate the great landscape of the subject from deep inside the chasm of a single theorem. The detailed elegance of every piece of the algebraic machine takes my breath away. But putting those pieces together... well that's a different story.
So far, I have struggled to tie the subject together. I puzzle over problems for days, only to find the solution to be, of course, simple and perfect and easy. Slowly, very slowly, these beautiful theorems and quaint definitions are weaving together. The other students in the class ask intelligent questions and correct small errors in the teacher's definitions. They nod and smile and assimilate the ideas quickly and gracefully. I write every word the prof says and pray that later on it will make sense. This course is the biggest mental challenge I have undertaken, and I am sitting at the back of the pack.
My primary goal is not to achieve a high score or out-compete my classmates (although an A would be nice.) This subject is so beautiful and every detail is so precise, that it would be immensely satisfying to open my eyes wide and behold the magnificence of the theory. That's what I want. Not the grade, but that satisfaction. The solution to the grand puzzle. The insight. Thankfully, this stuff is much more important than my big ego.
No comments:
Post a Comment