Category Archives: Mathematics

Last Questions and Possible Answers, 3

This is my third post, following this one in March and this one in June, in which I consider the John Brockman book The Last Unknowns, in which he gathers deep unanswered questions about “the universe, the mind, the future … Continue reading

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Things that are True about the World, despite Human Intuitions

After three posts about that Jonathan Rauch book, let’s post some items about conclusions made by the reality-based community. Veritasium on Euclid’s Fifth Postulate, and how there is more to reality than human intuitive thinking; Neil de Grasse Tyson on … Continue reading

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Science and Political Items

First, a couple science bits. Let’s start with an intriguing episode of Veritasium. Veritasium: Math Has A Fatal Flaw. Maybe not a “flaw” but an aspect beyond human intuitive understanding: how in any system of mathematics, there exist true statements … Continue reading

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Three from SciAm

Scientific American is a magazine I’ve read intermittently for 50 years. A new take on the difference between liberals and conservatives; How most Americans think they are better than most people, but people in Asian countries do not; How there … Continue reading

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Fox News Admits They Were Wrong; Reviews by Michael Dirda

First, a follow up to my Media Literacy post three days ago. Stop the Presses! Something amazing has happened! Salon, Amanda Marcotte, 23 May 2023: Fox News falls for another hoax, as the Dominion defamation settlement pays off, subtitled “The … Continue reading

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Jerry Coyne on Deepak Chopra, Alex Ross on Max Richter, and others

Jerry Coyne on Deepak Chopra And on the latest argument for the compatibility of science and faith A misleading article on the recent “paradigm” shift in the understanding of human evolution Reviews of new books by Sarah Bakewell and Sarah … Continue reading

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Math, Literature, and Maps

Today’s topics: A curious new geometric shape; The connections between math and literature; A new perhaps better map projection of the world NY Times, Siobhan Roberts, 28 Mar 2023: Elusive ‘Einstein’ Solves a Longstanding Math Problem, subtitled “And it all … Continue reading

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Optimism about Science and Tech, Alternative Math, and Political Topics

Another optimistic take on part of current affairs (not politics). Plus: alternative math, and political items.

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Significance, and Links

More on yesterday’s post about intuitive morality; the idea of “significance”, and Alastair Reynolds’ new novel; and links and comments.

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G.H. Hardy, A MATHEMATICIAN’S APOLOGY (1940)

In perusing some of the earliest popular books I read about mathematics, including the ones I’ve blogged about here by George Gamow and Krasner & Newman, and then searching around for any other popular mathematical texts from the early 20th … Continue reading

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