Why do many math books have so much detail and so little enlightenment? (2010)
Mathematics traditionally has a macho ethos.  This goes all the way back to Euclid, and his &quot;Let no one ignorant of geometry enter&quot; sign.  The training process primarily involves solving puzzle-like problems.  Cambridge University still has Wranglers and Senior Wranglers [1], chosen for success at solving puzzle-like problems, not originality. (Hardy once wrote that this set English mathematics back a hundred years.)<p>This history infects mathematics books.<p>The other traditional problem with mathematics is terse and obscure notation.  There are many implicit assumptions embedded in published mathematical papers and books. This is not helpful.  It&#x27;s like reading code snippets without the declarations.<p>[1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Wrangler_(University_of_Cambridge)" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Wrangler_(University_of_Cambri...</a>