This isn’t exactly what Ofer is complaining about, but one take on the issue, that math can be overstated, poorly socialized, misleading or overbearing, is a common critique in domains that use a lot of applied math (theoretical econ, interdisciplinary biology) that borrows from pure math, physics, etc.
It depends on things (well, sort of your ideology, style, and academic politics TBH) but I think the critique can often be true.
To onlookers, I want to say that:
This isn’t exactly what Ofer is complaining about, but one take on the issue, that math can be overstated, poorly socialized, misleading or overbearing, is a common critique in domains that use a lot of applied math (theoretical econ, interdisciplinary biology) that borrows from pure math, physics, etc.
It depends on things (well, sort of your ideology, style, and academic politics TBH) but I think the critique can often be true.
Although to be fair, this particular one critique seems much more specific and it seems like Ofer might be talking past Alex Turner and his meaning (but I have no actual idea of the math or the claims)
The tone of the original post is pretty normal or moderate, and isn’t “casting shade”.
but it might be consistent with issues like:
this person has some agenda that is unhelpful and unreasonable;
they are just a gadfly;
they don’t really “get it” but know enough to fool themselves and pick at things forever.
But these issues apply to my account too. I think the tone is pretty good to me.