"The Honors Class" by Ben H. Yandell. Yandell is an honors mathematics graduate from Stanford who turned to poetry and writing. He tells the story of the solvers of Hilbert's Problems.
In 1900, at an international math conference in Paris, german mathematician David Hilbert proposed to list of 23 problems "of deep significance...for the advance of mathematical science". Yandell tells the story of the men, and a few women, who have helped solve the problems.
Did I understand most of the book? Hardly. But I consider it a worthwhile read. Yandell gives the advice to read like a mathematician. "If they don't understand something (a state they are used to), they will keep reading in the hope that they will understand the next thing." [pg. 5]
I recommend reading the book. And if you get to a tough part, just skip along.
The book shows that mathematicians are normal people, with families, interests, petty squabbles. Some were Nazis, some were anti-nationalistic. The book provides evidence against the stereotype professor who hates teaching and is an expert in a very specialized field. Many made contributions in several areas of math and science. Many enjoyed teaching, started schools and programs, and recruited young talent. In exploring the biographies of several mathematicians we have more proof that math is not a young man's game.
http://slate.msn.com/id/2082960
On the human aspect, Yandell writes he is "amazed at the cross-cultural, almost universal, tendancy of mathematicians, of all people, to award exam scores that exceed 100%." [pg 223]
I wish Yandell had answered the obvious "why should I care?" This question usually starts around Jr. High School during a geometry class, followed with "when am I ever going to use this?"
It makes me sad, the demand for a "useful and specific" educational experience. I would answer the quest for knowledge is one of the things that seperates us from the apes.
In today's technological world, it is easy to justify math for its intrinsic use in engineering. Yet I wish that Yandell had spent more time describing the reasons the individuals pursued math. I would equate the beauty of math, as the same as music, dance, poetry. What is the use of Picasso ? When will I ever use a Bartok string quartet in my daily life ? Why read "Ulysses" ? I assert that knowledge is good. I believe that education makes us better humans.
:-jon
People seem to say that I don't like any movies. That's not true. A few movies that I do like.
"Spellbound" a true American story of kids working hard to achieve their goals. So much racial, economic, social diversity in this movie. After this I was proud to be an American.
"Whalerider" a story about girl power, family, and tradition. No sappy romance. Miss Castle-Hughes is a great actress, and she's only 12!! I wish her luck in finding good scripts.
"Pirates of the Caribean" it was a fun movie. Mr Depp did fantastic, Mr Rush good villian.
"Finding Nemo" fun. Ms Degeneres did fantastic.
"Harry Potter 3rd movie" I liked it.
....well, I think the fad of blogs can die now that I have started
seriously. I am so anti-trendy, and not by choice, it's just I am totally out of the loop of what is cool, and by the time I find out, I am so lazy that I just don't do anything about it.
Main reason I am having a blog ? ...uh, cuz
:-jon