Math and physics are not about calculation first; they are about insight. Their purpose is to discover deep and abstract connections beneath complex phenomena, where many seemingly different things turn out to be the same at a structural level.
Once such an insight is found, symbols appear—not as decoration, but as compression. Symbols allow complex ideas to be represented succinctly so they can be manipulated using tools like algebra, logic, and geometry to deduce consequences and perform computation.
Insight always comes before formalism. Mathematical systems do not create understanding; they preserve it. A formal structure is built only after we recognize a hidden equivalence or unifying principle.
Mathematics is a language, but not a linguistic one. It is rigorous, logical, and exact. Every symbol has a fixed meaning, and nothing is implied unless it is defined.
To use this language well requires deep mastery of concepts and definitions. Each element must be understood in terms of what it assumes, what it excludes, and how it interacts with others.
At its highest level, math and physics are about building systems of thought. Once the right system exists, many problems stop being difficult—not because they are trivial, but because the underlying insight has already transformed complexity into structure.