It is a
standard technique in
mathematics to
reduce a problem
that you care deeply about to a problem in
combinatorics, i.e.
to questions about arranging finitely many objects. The resulting
combinatorial
yoga can be difficult and diverting in its own right
but the real interest comes from the
original problem
be it in
Lie groups
or
probability or whatever.
For this reason Noether has always felt that studying combinatorics for
its own sake is a bit like sex without love.