A Mathematician's Apology (Canto Classics)
In June 1983, Alexander Grothendieck sits down to write the preface to a mathematical manuscript called Pursuing Stacks . He is concerned by what he sees as a tacit disdain for the more “feminine side” of mathematics (which is related to what I’m calling the solitary creative state) in favor of the “hammer and chisel” of the finished theorem. By el... See more
Cultivating a State of Mind Where New Ideas Are Born
In June 1983, Alexander Grothendieck sits down to write the preface to a mathematical manuscript called Pursuing Stacks . He is concerned by what he sees as a tacit disdain for the more “feminine side” of mathematics (which is related to what I’m calling the solitary creative state) in favor of the “hammer and chisel” of the finished theorem. By el... See more
Henrik Karlsson • Cultivating a state of mind where new ideas are born
Thurston’s response offers a radical change of perspective: The product of mathematics is clarity and understanding. Not theorems, by themselves. The world does not suffer from an oversupply of clarity and understanding (to put it mildly). The real satisfaction from mathematics is in learning from others and sharing with others. All of us have clea
... See moreDavid Bessis • Mathematica
At the heart of maths is the desire to understand things rather than just know them.