Essay Outlines

"Unlike the Arts, such as writing or music, Mathematics lacks the capacity for creativity." How far do you agree?

Question Analysis:
This question is a comparison question between the Mathematics and the Arts over how much space for space there is for creative expression in either of them.

Stand: Agree to a large extent

TS1: Mathematics, at least in its practical sense, deals with absolute values that are calculated. There is no grey area between what is the correct value and what is wrong. Thus, if we view it in the larger picture, that means that there is ultimately only one destination and any deviation from that would result in failure.
E.gs.
Engineers and Architects are trusted with precise calculations over the safety of a building. They often calculate key numbers regarding how the building would be able to remain standing. Any deviation would result in life and death especially if the building collapses when there are people inside the building. There is only right or wrong and nothing else.
In Singapore, the education system largely focus on the end result especially during the teaching of Mathematics. There is heavy emphasis on the technical aspect of Mathematics, the education system only cares about whether the correct answer is obtained and not if the most creative/least tedious method is used. Many a times, the teachers would be satisfied with the answer.

TS2: Whereas in the Arts, there is no "correct" or "wrong". This obvious difference allows for a wide variety of outcomes that allows the creator to express their creativity and infuse their own flavour into whatever piece they are creating. By deviating from the beaten path, the creators do not immediately fail but rather would be lauded as innovators of their field should their piece be admired.
E.gs
Pablo Picasso's diverse artistic talents allowed him to define periods that many say are instrumental in moulding modern art. These periods are the "Blue" period and the "Rose" period where Picasso experimented with using only duller and blue colours to bring out the sadder and more solemn emotions of his painting. This effect defined his "Blue" period and in the end defined the way many people view the duller colours from the colour spectrum.

TS3: The medium in through which the Arts is transmitted to the society allows for more creative expression compared to the numbers in Mathematics. Numbers represent very direct things whereas words, musical notes and dance moves have a large variety of interpretations which can differ from context to context.
E.gs
The language of the computers of the past were written in binary because they were direct and there was little avenue for misinterpretation. They were just strings of 0 and 1. The only varying aspect was the position in which they were arranged.
One of the the fundamental problems of society now is the rise of religious fundamentalism. Their leaders often dish out their own interpretation of the same set of religious text. In this case, the creative interpretations of the people resulted in conflicting ideals and a general detrimental effect of the world.

TS4: Mathematics also allows for a degree of creativity which is not in the answer that the Mathematician hopes the obtain but rather the method in the answer is obtained. Mathematical theorems are also the result of individuals employing creative methods to solve Mathematical problems
E.gs
Albert Einstein famously used the thought experimenting process to formulate out the Special Theory of Relativity in which he imagined how travelling at the speed of light would affect the way he viewed objects on Earth. From that, his equations in the Special and subsequently General Theory of Relativity rewrote the foundations of Physics. Therefore, his mathematical formulaes were results of his creative way of shaping the world in his mind around to obtain his answer.