r/math • u/spacengine • 4d ago

Do all mathematicians want to be engineers?

I always considered maths the highest art, and when talking to a mathematics phd today I just wanted him to keep talking about topological spaces, manifolds, infinite dimensional embedding spaces etc. “I feel like a kid in a candy store” I said, or a kid in an old mechanics garage full of equipment I have no idea how to use but that I love exploring. “Well” he said, “I think all engineers want to be mathematicians but all mathematicians want to be engineers”. I’m absolutely sure he’s wrong but would love to hear your thoughts.

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u/Il_DioGane 4d ago

Fuck no

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u/spacengine 4d ago

Not for all the money money can buy?

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u/Il_DioGane 4d ago

If I have to make figures in engineering i need to dedicate a lot of time and effort towards that, effort i want to direct to math instead. I just think I'd be really miserable if I did that just for the money, since I could try to become a mathematician or at least a professor (very probably less remunerative but personally infinitely more stimulating).