18 February 2014

Buy This Book

Posted by Dan Satterfield

This book is getting rave reviews and everyone who loves math or thinks they hate it, should read it.

This book is getting rave reviews and everyone who loves math or thinks they hate it, should read it.

Hat tip to Brain Pickings for the scoop.

From the book:

Mathematical knowledge is unlike any other knowledge. While our perception of the physical world can always be distorted, our perception of mathematical truths can’t be. They are objective, persistent, necessary truths. A mathematical formula or theorem means the same thing to anyone anywhere — no matter what gender, religion, or skin color; it will mean the same thing to anyone a thousand years from now. And what’s also amazing is that we own all of them. No one can patent a mathematical formula, it’s ours to share. There is nothing in this world that is so deep and exquisite and yet so readily available to all. That such a reservoir of knowledge really exists is nearly unbelievable. It’s too precious to be given away to the “initiated few.” It belongs to all of us.