[sjg007]

Well academic research can be a very practical field too. You have to have some intellectual tools (mathematical reasoning, statistical reasoning), specific techniques, proofs etc.. which you apply to your problem domain. The most theoretical of which would be pure math or pure models of systems.

Innovation derives from working from basic principles and logical reasoning about a problem. Understanding the math is seen as important than just using it. You don't have to pursue pure math e.g. proofs but you should understand the usefulness and limitations of the mathematical tools you work with.

Those tools have utility in solving problems as we progress as a society. Otherwise you are in some sense operating blindly.

So education should be obtaining these intellectual tools to reason and think critically about things concerning humanity. Moreover one should seek a diversity of tools and ways of thinking. I feel like this is a huge driver of creativity.

For finance, the number one hedge fund was founded and run by a mathematician. Black-scholes, game theory... Signal processing... it's unfair to not get this exposure!