Why Wonder?

I know what you're thinking. "She's just trying to get me to study more math."

To which I'd reply, "You are correct. Mostly"

The fact is that the lack of complete understanding in our study of mathematics reveals a great truth to us that goes beyond the classroom. It is for this purpose that we study mathematics. It is for this purpose that we study language, science, history, and everything. This great pursuit of the truth is what drives us to study. 

Children are born with a sense of wonder. They marvel at the caterpillar and the warmth of the sun. This is a natural reaction to the goodness of God and His creation. Before children are able to reason why something is marvelous, they can acknowledge that it is marvelous. The gap between perceiving wonder and knowing the reason behind it is the mystery of the supernatural element. 

If we submit everything to reason, our religion will have no mysterious and supernatural element. If we offend the principles of reason, our religion will be absurd and ridiculous.(Pascal, 273)

This is a great balance, we acknowledge, even bask in, the mysterious wonder all around us, but we don't stay there. We seek to understand the great mystery with reason even while reasoning that we will never attain true understanding in this world.

The study of mathematics is a perfect example of man trying to understand everything he can about God and His mystery. We can calculate and reason about the world using mathematics, but can we truly understand the concept of infinity?  

...if there be a true religion on earth, the course of all things must tend to it as to a centre. (Pascal, 556)

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