Is calculus a science?

[novak123]

As title states, is calculus a science or non-science? I apologize for this dumb question, but my OCD demands confirmation of what I think it is for when I start getting LORs.

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[WedgeDawg]

It's a science under AMCAS's rules.

 

[Goro]

One of the dark arts, really.

 

[BlitheDilettante]

Count it as a science LOR. Well you can always get a math + 2 science + 1 non-science, just for ameliorating your OCD lol. That's what I did when I was in the same situation.

 

[Lucca]

Calc falls under the BCPM distinction so I'm guessing yes it does fall under the science category as long as you took it through the Math dept. (no idea who else would offer it but hey you never know).

 

[chinsucl]

It is a science that calculates value from functions whose parameters in dimensions are not constant over time or over space. Science is study and application of "the truth". Calculus is a rule of nature (not an invention) which was first discovered by Newton and Leibniz.

 

[usernamesaredumb]

It is a science that calculates value from functions whose parameters in dimensions are not constant over time or over space. Science is study and application of "the truth". Calculus is a rule of nature (not an invention) which was first discovered by Newton and Leibniz.

My God, what a self-important response.


OP, it counts as a science for all intents and purposes when it comes to medical school applications.

 

[deleted393595]

One of the dark arts, really.

Death Eaters! Assemble!

 

[Lawpy]

It is a science that calculates value from functions whose parameters in dimensions are not constant over time or over space. Science is study and application of "the truth". Calculus is a rule of nature (not an invention) which was first discovered by Newton and Leibniz.

Oh boy. If we're discussing whether math is "discovered" (it's not) or invented, it'll be a lot of fun

And to be fair, calculus was long "discovered" way before Newton and Leibniz. It wasn't called that.

No, No, No. Do Not Assume Calculus is a science for an LOR

It is "science" for purposes of AMCAS primary

It may not be considered a science by adcom as some schools or to the adcom members who are the readers. While most schools are much more interested in the evaluation in the letter from a professor who have taken a class with, there are some that are sticklers for fulfilling LOR recs. More importantly, I have had this discussion at a couple of admission workshops for adcom staff/directors and several have told of incidents where some members of adcoms have a strong opposition to the idea that a math class eval is anyway equal to a science eval. Remember that an adcom may have admission director, MDs and research PhDs. You have audiences to address here that need to be thought about.

While this is the safest approach, I am very curious to know what schools and what adcoms think calculus (or any math course) isn't a science. In fact, if I'm fortunate, I would like to have a small 5-minute conversation with them.

I say this because numerous members on SDN and elsewhere who were math majors did get into a wide spectrum of medical schools with math LORs. I didn't collect data since I felt the topic was immaterial, but the sample size is large enough (n>>100).

 

[Lawpy]

It has nothing to do with the major of the applicant; some schools, or rather some readers/adcoms members have taken issue with an applicant having math (an engineering) as an assumed substitute for science LOR. This would go for math, engineering, history, sociology, etc or any major It would also be the same for someone with LOR solely from, say , a PI and 2 physicians. If you read the requirements for LORs which each school has, most read either science faculty or faculty you have taken a science course. As I stated previously the majority of adcoms and adcom members care mostly about having an indepth course evaluation and do not hold a strict technical fulfillment for the LOR/LOE. However, relying on a common acceptance does not fulfill stated requirements is an assumption that is wholly falls to the applicant with no basis to stand on. That is a dangerous assumption to for an applicant to make. Hence my point

Yes, I acknowledge that the safest bet is to strictly follow school-specific guidelines, but the sheer fact that some adcoms have a grudge against math to outright dismiss it as non-science is deeply concerning. I don't understand why adcoms would take an issue to a math LOR when AMCAS says the contrary. It's the sole reason why I wish to schedule an appointment and discuss this with them.

I believe @Goro previously said in pre-osteo forums that AACOMAS doesn't factor math into science GPA calculation. I suppose some MD adcoms follow the same, and not consider math LOR to be science?

If there is any adcom reading this, I request you to PM me with your response.

 

[efle]

Calc was invented. It's a language, a way to describe. It is a bunch of contrived symbolism we use to communicate ideas about various processes we discover.

 

[Lawpy]

Calc was invented. It's a language, a way to describe. It is a bunch of contrived symbolism we use to communicate ideas about various processes we discover.

I think that's why some adcoms don't consider math letters to be science. Because languages are viewed to be humanities!

 

[antizaitsev]

Calc was invented. It's a language, a way to describe. It is a bunch of contrived symbolism we use to communicate ideas about various processes we discover.

Actually, this is probably THE most contested issue in the philosophy of mathematics: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/platonism-mathematics/

People have been coming up with really rigorous arguments for and against this position for decades. I don't think it's going to be settled once and for all on SDN lol