[NT] NTs and Science/Maths

[Samurai Drifter]

I never enjoyed math very much until I learned programming, after which I found it a useful tool with which to construct programs. By itself I found it too detail oriented and repetitive. I hear this is primarily true of the lower maths though, and that beyond the level of calculus it's much different.

Science is another story though. I'm a Biology major (hopefully eventually specializing in neuroscience).

On a related note, I have an INTJ brother who dropped out of Physics to major in Photography or Philosophy.

 

[garbage]

I just treat math, science, and programming like any other tools in my arsenal that help me achieve some end. That is, I apply them to my actual areas of interest.. being mostly psychology, economics, and logistics.

I'm really only interested in math and science to the degree that I have to be.

 

[ArchitectofFate]

math is kinda gross for me but statistics, economics and science are all fun...

even astronomy with math is exciting

 

[Darjur]

Am I the only INTP here who absolutely loves the hard sciences?

 

[cascadeco]

Yeah, I wouldn't put a huge amount of weight on the math/science thing to determine temperament.

The fact that I really enjoyed, and was drawn to, math and science subjects growing up was a reason I mistakenly identified with the INTJ description in my early 20's. The NF descriptions tended not to mention anything about math/science/logic/intellectual stuff, so I thought I couldn't possibly be NF. But there are plenty of NF's in the sciences, and conversely plenty of NT's who are not. And rope in the SJ's and SP's too....

 

[Lateralus]

I never enjoyed math very much until I learned programming, after which I found it a useful tool with which to construct programs. By itself I found it to detail oriented and repetitive. I hear this is primarily true of the lower maths though, and that beyond the level of calculus it's much different.

It's much different once you get into calculus. I loved calculus, though I didn't necessarily love going to calculus class. I found the concepts of integrals and differentials to be fascinating. Many years ago, I had a Calculus III test on projectile motion where I didn't go to a single class. I managed to derive all the necessary forumulas based on my previous understanding of the concepts and scored 103% (I got the extra credit, too). Unfortunately, I barely got a B in the class because my attendance was horrible and I didn't do a single homework assignment.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Am I the only INTP here who absolutely loves the hard sciences?

Do you accept INTJs?


Modern western society is fast by lifestyle and many(not all) don't have the interests to learn. It is all about getting rich and enjoying life.
That is the foundation of the culture.

Many don't have the time, money or nerves to actually venture into hard science and to fully understand it. It takes too much time.
Also if we overlook molecular biology and simialr areas the entire thing is actually not that much profitable either.

 

[Anentropic IxTx]

I enjoy astrophysics and cosmology especially, perhaps for the philosophical thought-provoking aspects, and languages have always been a constant interest.

 

[SilentStream]

I've been reading bits and bobs concerning MBTI recently and its raised a bit of an issue for me. Whilst I identify with the "personal" bits of the descriptions of NTs/INTPs and see myself in the behaviours, I'm questioning my response in light of the strong interest predicted in science and maths- neither of which really float my boat. So I guess my question is whether their are many ( there will be some) NTs whose main, academic shall we say, interest is in something wholy unrelated to science or maths?

Don't worry, I was never brilliant at maths like INTPs are supposed to be and I didn't find it very interesting. Although I did enjoy chemistry and biology. Personality typing is not really about what your interests are, it's about how you think, what type of perception you have and how you make decisions. Personally my main academic interest has always been literature, with the sciences coming further behind.

 

[01011010]

While most people I know in Science are INTPs/INTJs, you can find NTs in many places. Philosophy and language. Anything that requires critical thinking.

 

[Gabe]

I'm majoring in meteorology but for the wrong "NT" reasons. I just like staring at storms, like most weather geeks.

note: I think that a lot of improvisors become meteorologists.

 

[Bougal]

I was considering being a meteorology major this school year. Where are you studying?


I find all math and science interesting except for Biology. I enjoyed working with three dimensional math like the z-axis and the conic sections. I was also quite the beast at dissections.

 

[The Ü™]

I do not like math for the exact same reasons that Jack described. I never really thought of math as that abstract at all (unless you're talking about mathematical theory). On the contrary, I see it as requiring strong attention to details more than anything.

And wasn't there statistical data somewhere that stated most engineering students at a certain university were ISTJs or ISTPs?

 

[GargoylesLegacy]

Math, science and all those "typical NT things" are nice, but I always loved arts, handcrafting and languages a little more. Creating and expressing, basically. It's awesome and also I was always very good at it. It didn't really matter if it was cooking, painting, working with wood / metal / whatever or any languages. I just like to create stuff a little more than math and science.

 

[Gabe]

I was considering being a meteorology major this school year. Where are you studying?


I find all math and science interesting except for Biology. I enjoyed working with three dimensional math like the z-axis and the conic sections. I was also quite the beast at dissections.

State University of New York, and a lot of big state universities have meteorology (or 'atmospheric science') programs.

For meteorology, you would also be taking more math including multivariable calculus and differential equations, and calculus-based physics mechanics and electromagnetism classes. And some computer science.

 

[Ism]

While most people I know in Science are INTPs/INTJs, you can find NTs in many places. Philosophy and language. Anything that requires critical thinking.

Jumping off of this, I'd say that the Math/Science arena would appeal to me if it were my particular interest (obviously). But for me, my focus is on people-- their systems, how they work, why they are the way they are, and trying to figure them out.

Same with languages-- another system, a simpler system-- but it just happens to not be math. Or science. (Although I will say that Biology is pretty interesting.)

 

[entropie]

Ti is the boss in math. You dont need a NT for that.

 

[Kasper]

There is also the tendency to say that "Most scientists are INTPs" and believe it says "Most INTPs are scientists".

Maths and science don’t interest me at all, I prefer history, geography and music.

 

[entropie]

+ boxing, Starbuck

 

[Kasper]

+ boxing, Starbuck

+ boxing fo' sure