Some people say that math and science are good enough.

They argue that $\pi$ is fine, even though it’s half the circle constant. They argue that using dead people’s names for constants isn’t that bad an idea, because it’s easy once you learn the history.

You’ll notice that these people are almost exclusively scientists, mathematicians, and engineers.

These are people who have above-average ability to see past the symbols and understand the meaning. They navigated the minefield of mainstream mathematics with ease and now they can stand on the other side and claim that it wasn’t so hard.

The people you don’t hear from are everybody who hates math, everybody who failed science. Some of these people just didn’t like the subjects, but many more were confused by strange notation and confounded by lost purposes. They beheld a twisted bloated mess that they’d just have to memorize if they wanted to pass the class, and they hated it, and they never came back.

Math and science aren’t good enough right now. Once you understand enough math to see past the symbols, it doesn’t matter what notation you use. Good mathematicians and scientists don’t need reform. They can already see past the quirky symbols, and they’re hardly bothered by them.

The reform is needed for everybody else. Before you understand a concept, it’s easy to get lost in the symbols. When you’re just starting to learn we must strip away as much confusion as possible.

I’m not advocating that we dumb the subjects down: far from it. Rather, I’m advocating that we teach them in their simplest form.

The needless complexity of math and science comes at a high price, a price that doesn’t have to be paid.

So let’s stop paying it.