Space Between Philosophy and Physics
A promising proof of the so-called Kadison-Singer conjecture was announced yesterday. Mathematicians are excited, because this conjecture is equivalent to a remarkable number of open problems in other fields. And…
This is not new, but it’s one of the very best math videos on the inter-tubes. It’s designed by Bill Thurston, who’s known not only for his mathematical talent (winning him…
Oh, the material conditional. Some love it, some hate it. But can we all agree that explaining it to the uninitiated is a perennial headache? If you’ve taught baby-logic, you…
crank, n. A pejorative term for a person who holds a belief that a vast majority of their contemporaries consider false. A “cranky” belief is so wildly at variance with…
The despicable state of K-12 mathematics in the US has been summarized in one charming, witty, furious article by Paul Lockhart. That’s Lockhart the mathematician-turned-gradeschool-teacher, not Lockhart the astronaut. He…