Terence Tao

So so there's a spectrum.

So the real world is messy.

And if you try to incorporate every single aspect of it, it's just too much to model.

And you can't see the flowers for the trees.

So, yeah.

So so methodicians intentionally simplify reality.

They work with what's called toy models.

physicists call them spherical cow type assumptions, where you want to model a cow, it's actually easier for the physics if the cow is a complete sphere and frictionless.

That's not realistic, but it's a good starting point.

And then over time, you decide to add some friction, add some legs to the cow.

But you start with the easiest cases to get some...

uh to get some an initial idea i guess the difference between math and the other science and basically anything else is that we can change all our hypotheses and work with these these toy cases like you know if you want to build a bridge and you're an engineer you can't just build a toy bridge over a creek first and then right load your way up up to a real bridge if you're a heart surgeon you can't do some experimental surgery on rats or something first and then well i i guess you in in training maybe you do but um

Okay.

Well, my condolences.

But in most professions, you don't get to play your toy models because you're not allowed to fail.

But in math, math failure is very, very cheap.

You know, you try a problem, you don't solve it, fine.

You just toss the paper away and you try again.

No one gets hurt.

No one dies.