Richard Feynman - Ode to a Flower

A common misconception regarding disciplines that require abstract and rigorous thinking (math, philosophy, science, etc.) is that their cold and rational nature strips the world (and our experience of it) of its natural beauty and the awe it can inspire for people who are passionate about emotion, beauty and the sublime...

Of course, that's absolute bullshit, but I'd better just let Richard Feynman (in a quick excerpt from his documentary The Pleasure of Finding Things Out) explain why this is such a misguided and shallow way of looking at the role of reason, curiosity and inquiry as it regards the world:

I love that bitch-slap :)

And to see how scientific and mathematical understanding can enhance our experience of beauty, check out the incredible animation Nature by Numbers, or any of the fabulous videos on by Vi Hart.