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[INTP] Any INTP's not good at math?

Pseudo

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I'm pretty positive I'm and INTP but I've never been good with math or sciences that are very math heavy (Physics, chemistry). I've always been more attracted to history, philosophy, social sciences, biology, environmental science and especially art. Not fractal art either.

So I was wondering if INTPs necessarily like math?
 

Cartesian Theater

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ENTP here, terrible at arithmetic. I'm actually pretty good at higher level math, but I really don't like it that much. I'm more interested in creative areas like writing and art, and I like practical problem solving.
 

Caesar

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My friend who's an INTP discovered she wasn't good at math, in college.
 

ilikeitlikethat

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I can do maths/math but... I know people who are better.
I can do it, they just get there faster, and, know what they're talking about.
 

KDude

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FWIW, Lenore Thomson associated math (and similar things, like reading music) with Te. I suppose because they represent more impersonal standards of order and predictability. Everyone uses a little of it, and a Ti type could demonstrate it, but some may downplay it to the point of not being great at it (at least that's my guess).
 

Caesar

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I don't know. Te seems to be better at computation and problem-solving. But Ti is more conceptual and logical, but seems less able to look at a problem and translate all its associated parts into abstract notations, then solve it.
 

Pseudo

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I like listening to people explain the concepts behind math/science but I struggle to actually do it. Working long problems, performing experiments. I 'm concerned enough with details and I don't really enjoy repetition. That seems pretty INTP but most of the things I read about INTPs always stress that we're scientists and mathematicians.
 

KDude

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I like listening to people explain the concepts behind math/science but I struggle to actually do it. Working long problems, performing experiments. I 'm concerned enough with details and I don't really enjoy repetition. That seems pretty INTP but most of the things I read about INTPs always stress that we're scientists and mathematicians.

I wouldn't rule out scientist. This is where perception and experimentation comes more into play. If not strictly science, they still might take a scientific approach. I think a lot of pickup artist stuff is kind of NTP. It's not astrophysics, but they approach it like a science.
 

Blank

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I guess I'm good at math; it used to be my strongest subject throught elementary and middle school, but I never had an interest in it beyond basic algebra, so I never applied myself.

That being said, my math skills have deteriorated quite a bit and I'm no longer as good as I used to be, nor do I care very much about it.
 

Fluffywolf

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I find math is boring, although Ive never been bad at it, I was also never top of the class. I prefered chemistry and physics over math.
 

greenfairy

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I used to have anxiety in these areas and so couldn't think very well because of that; but when I could do math well I enjoyed it. The same thing happened with chemistry in college; I liked learning about it but was insecure and stressed about my ability to do it and so couldn't really think clearly. When I studied it over the summer in preparation to retake it in the fall though, and the pressure was off, I really enjoyed it and did pretty well in the class. And I find that I can do math if I take a "top down" approach, learning the theory and application first and then the details. So in high school I would either excel at math or have trouble with it depending on whether I could see it (geometry and trig) or whether it was just algebra, and I found college calculus to be really easy. If I know how to do it I love it and it's beautiful. I like applying concepts I've learned about chemistry to all areas of life and use them in philosophy.

That said my major is philosophy with a Japanese minor, and I love art and music.
 

Pseudo

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I find math is boring, although Ive never been bad at it, I was also never top of the class. I prefered chemistry and physics over math.

But physics has tons of math!
 

INA

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There's interest and then there's ability. They don't always meet, though they're conflated often.

When I studied it over the summer in preparation to retake it in the fall though, and the pressure was off, I really enjoyed it and did pretty well in the class.
I always did much better at it when I taught myself than when I sat in a classroom. I often skipped class to learn on my own and loved it.
So in high school I would either excel at math or have trouble with it depending on whether I could see it (geometry and trig) or whether it was just algebra

Funny, that worked in reverse for me.

I wasn't that into math, though. In college, symbolic logic was much more appealing.
 

greenfairy

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There's interest and then there's ability. They don't always meet, though they're conflated often.


I always did much better at it when I taught myself than when I sat in a class room. I often skipped class to learn on my own and loved it.


Funny, that worked in reverse for me.

I wasn't that into math, though. In college, symbolic logic was much more appealing.

You mean you found the things you couldn't visualize to be easier?

I love symbolic logic! I took 2 classes of it and got A's.
 

greenfairy

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Yes. Weird, innit?
I had no love for geometry and trig, which seemed like chores.

Interesting. How does one figure things out without visualizing them, I wonder? I think about absolutely everything visually.

I wonder what CF's these processes are.
 

Savage Idealist

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The ability to do mathematics has nothing to do with Jung's cognitive functions.
 

INA

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Interesting. How does one figure things out without visualizing them, I wonder? I think about absolutely everything visually.
Perhaps it's not so much visual, but spatial conceptualizing that was the issue. If the math was just numbers, or using formulae ... i.e. more to do with pure logic, fine. If it involves measurement or visualizing space, distance, length, mass, applying to real physical spaces --> annoyed.
 

Such Irony

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The ability to do mathematics has nothing to do with Jung's cognitive functions.

I think all types have the ability to do mathematics and it's silly to think otherwise but when it comes to interest in mathematics, I would think there would be some correlation.
 
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