Elevate or relegate? The relative importance of mathematics

The value of any subject on a crowded, contested and compulsory curriculum is, or at least should be, open to debate. More importantly, when different subjects are prioritized over others, the justification for the ranking of such subjects should also be submitted to sustained enquiry. Mathematics enjoys a prestigious place in the English National Curriculum, elsewhere, and perhaps everywhere. There have been several responses, over the last few years, to the question of not only why pupils should be compelled to learn mathematics but also for how long this should continue. This article takes a broad and critical look, from a largely philosophical standpoint, at some of the dominant themes that underlie the most recurrent claims that have been made in defence of the privileged place of mathematics in school.