Is it normal that i dislike to study one topic as a science, but do another?

Hyello again.

Here's my curious question for today!

After I graduated High School last year I've become a bit of an autodidact.
Right now my curriculum is composed of Math (I'm relearning all HS level math in a more applicable way... Then I will start higher math.) English Grammar (Something that HS failed to teach properly) and my chosen field of science. (Computer Science..... How original....)
One thing I have noticed in my studies... I HATE to think of computer related studies as an academic science. I know that it is. I know that it is a discipline filled with scientific theory and methods. However trying to actually learn computer science subjects as... well... an academic science... is dull and tends to get boring pretty quickly. I instead opt to study computer history, technical aspects, and then code, tinker, and hack something until I understand it. (In other words; a sort of informal scientific method... I know I'm not making much since.) So, approaching it from an informal mindset is key to my studies.

Now, next part. English Grammar.
Unless you are actually studying linguistic science it is rare for English grammar to be treated as a science.
In school I could pass your typical grammar tests but I never actually learned much other than how to read. Now that I am studying on my own I have come to the conclusion that language is a science. So, for me, studying grammar as an academic science is a lot more interesting than studying the simple and basic grammar rules taught in school. Obviously I still need improvement,(What gave it away? my improper use of punctuation or the copious amount of run-on sentences?) but I am learning more and more each day.

So, is it normal that I can only feel comfortable learning one subject (Computer Science) in a non-academic way, but I can only feel comfortable studying another (English Grammar) as an academic science?

Voting Results
73% Normal
Based on 59 votes (43 yes)
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Comments ( 15 )
  • dappled

    I was a published games programmer at 15 who later went on to study Maths at university and I deliberately chose a course where the applied parts had a lot of computer science, nuclear physics, quantum mechanics, etc., because they were the only bits I really liked (I don't like applied maths in general).

    Being taught "programming" as an academic exercise was pretty horrific. All the lecturers were in their sixties and had learned to program with punched tape. Their programs consisted of less than a hundred instructions and usually resulted in a single numerical output. Plus they preached top-down design (meaning if you needed to tweak a program, you threw it away and started from scratch). They weren't living in the real world and it was painful. I almost felt like I had to educate them.

    Interesting to hear you talk about grammar as a science. I agree with you and think it kind of is. I wish it had been taught to me that way. As a result of it not being, my grammar is notably poor.

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    • GoraIntoDesiGals

      You were a published game programmer at 15? Wow hats off. I was a wannabe game programmer at about the same age but ultimately procrastrinated and it never materialised lol. Those were the days of 16-bit SNES for which I assume I would never have received the SDK. Which game did you make and on which platform?

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  • EccentricWeird

    Everything you do in high school will completely change your career path and your level of success in life. I would choose extremely wisely. Seriously. There is no turning back. Once you pick the medieval literature class, you won't even be able to understand contemporary literature. You'll be fucked forever when somebody asks you about the symbolism in "Twilight". High school is forever. You're so fucked. Fuckity fuck fucked. I would just give up now. Join a circus. Fucked.

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    • Veri

      Mhmm. That's pretty cynical.
      Obviously it's useless to try and better yourself outside of the educational system and my 3.79 GPO in HS will HAUNT ME FOREVER!!!!

      Yeah man. Screw that.
      If you REALLY think the world is that simple, that's all I can say.

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      • EccentricWeird

        You sound fucked too. Fucked fucked fucked fucked.

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        • Veri

          Alright then. I guess I should have known that your comments are not to be taken too seriously.
          Thank you for the comment. I'm sorry if I was rude.

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      • Veri

        Hmm... Welp, I still hold the same opinion but maybe my reply was a bit harsh.

        Basically, I disagree with the opinion that your life is governed entirely by your level of (official) education. Also, my definition of success in life is happiness. Which, while not a constant, is something I already have.

        Idealist much? probably. but it's my philosophy, and generally what my parents taught me.

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        • suckonthis9

          Your philosophy is to have a great quantity, amount, extent, or degree of ideals?
          Or is your philosophy to have a great importance or significance in an ideal?
          Please do not use -ists and -isms.

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          • Veri

            Alright. I can understand wanting to limit generalised labels and encourage actual explanation for a philosophy or belief... but that's a pretty impracticle rule. There are more than a handful of words in the english language that end as such which are perfectly valid as a vehicle of thought. I can type "She plays piano professionally." or I can type "She is a professional pianist" with no change in the meaning. Same can apply with a practitioner of... say... Shinto. "He is a practitioner of the Shinto Belief" and "He practices a varient of Shintoism" are also almost exactly the same.

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            • suckonthis9

              You are incorrect, you have significantly changed the meaning in the two examples cited.
              In the first instance, the reader might ask questions and actually learn something.
              For instance: Who is she? How did she become a professional? How does she play [musical style] the musical instrument? What genre of music does she play? What is a piano? How does a piano work?
              Then, by adding the -ist suffix to piano, all that you have said is that she is a professional piano player. You then re-affirm this by stating, she is a professional piano professional. We then form an opinion of what a professional piano player is. We all know what a professional piano player is, but can you define it? Now ask questions. Who is she? Answer: She is a professional piano player. How did she become a professional? Answer: I don't know, she just is. How does she play the musical instrument? Answer: Professionally. What genre of music does she play? Answer: she plays the genre of music that I, most or many other people enjoy, of course. The last two questions are invalidated. We are now not discussing a piano, but a piano professional (unless the reader makes the connection).
              In the second instance, the reader might ask what the Shinto belief is. In the second part, you have made a statement that there are practitioners of the Shinto belief, and that there are variants in this.
              This (the use of -ists and -isms) often leads to argumentative and sometimes hostile behaviour.

              I dispute your statement that [the use of -ists and -isms], "are perfectly valid as a vehicle of thought." What these usually end up doing, is causing us to become argumentative and hostile towards one another. It also often leads to too much thinking and not enough doing, sometimes at great expense. This also contributes to the many divisions in society.

              Some of the thoughts, ideas or concepts within these various -ists and -isms are perfectly valid, but the validity of these [-ists and -isms] in themselves are not.

              Now, you have previously stated that you are an advocate of an ideal. Would you be able to please describe this ideal society to me or anyone else? Do you have any academic credentials in this regard? You also stated that you learned this from your parents. Do (or did) your parents have any credentials or expertise in this?

              I would like to coin a new phrase and term at this time (this is somewhat derogatory, but should be taken lightly with a sense of humour),
              "You are fullovists" etymology: full + of + -ist

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            • Veri

              My personal philosophy, like many, is influenced by many things in my life including my family, the culture I grew up in, my spiritual beliefs, and my life experience.

              To wittle it down to the basics, I believe that success in life is a subjective term. As long as I am happy and as long as I am not causing pain or strain on those around me, I am successful.
              By my philosophy, I also believe in helping out others find a place where they can be happy.
              I'm pretty open to non-conventional views. (Lack of higher education =/= failure for one.)
              In other words, I hold some high ideals. Those ideals are mostly about acknowledging the individual (I want to say individualism so bad...) and how one does not have to follow what is typical to find thier way. On a more personal level, it's about finding happiness no matter the position you find yourself in. I have a problem with mental depression at times, so that last one is very important.

              Is that a little better?

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    • suckonthis9

      We don't do -ists and -isms.
      What about the symbols in "Twilight"?

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      • EccentricWeird

        Sounds like you're fucked!

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        • suckonthis9

          That's absolutely correct. I believe in fuckists.
          I also support fuckism!

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  • RomeoDeMontague

    We have different kinds of sciences. Its a very brod field. I am more into Biology and chemist but thats just my preference.

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