Incompatible subjects

This refers to the letter ‘Empowering students’ (September 7, 2024) by Dr Intikhab Ulfat. I disagree with the views expressed therein. The 'critical thinking' and 'analytical skills' utilized in mathematics and other such disciplines, is quite different from the skills required in literature, the fine arts and some other humanities.

Math teaches limited logical skills that operate within a 'box' as every question only has one solution. In literature and the arts, creative skills and out of the box thinking is required, which is the antithesis of mathematical thinking. If literature and arts students are forcibly made to study such in-the-box skills and methodologies, it would ruin their essential creativity.

Hissam S Khan

Abbottabad