[Edu-sig] re: Switching gears

[Arthinator@aol.com]

A previous contribution to the switching gears thread, I find,
was returned undelivered:

>  edu-self@python.org
>   unknown local-part "edu-self" in domain "python.org"

Either my ego showing, or spending too much time this
week with Python/VPython.

Kirby writes:

>I'm not sure to what extent our thinking diverges outside 
>some set of concepts related to geometry.  At this point,
>I don't have an overview of how you'd approach inter-
>connecting math topics outside of Euclid's Elements and 
>projective geometry (neither of which I have any problem 
>including, which isn't to say I've achieved the level of
>mastery you have vis-a-vis either).

I can promise you I have no level of mastery of over Euclid 
or anything connected with mathematics. One does not 
master subjects one comes to at the age of 40 - especially 
when one is also making a living and raising a family.

I am an enthusiastic dabbler.

>In some ways, I'm trying to recover classical topics that 
>used to be covered as a matter of course.  Today with the
>1st graders it was all about greek roots (tetra, octa...
>hedron) and chatter about the Platonic Five -- what sets
>them apart from the others etc.  The only non-classical 
>part was the bean-fill (using lima beans and polyhedra as
>measuring cups) -- although that could be considered 
>Pythagorean, as I hear the school was really into beans
>somehow.

I have lost passion for the argument, but do think it would
be ruder not ot respond at all.

Kirby, you know as well as I that Book I Prop I before
Book I Porp II, and well before Book XI Prop I (where
we first see solids) is at the very essence of Euclid.
Not making Euclid sacred, but the deductive process
does have some "sacredness" IMO.

David Joyce's take at:

http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/java/elements/elements.html

closely resembles my own.

My own education as an adult started when I was able to 
suppress my pride, and study the old hat - the
older the better.  Won't  be finding my way back to the 
current frontiers of human knowledge in this particular
life-time. So it goes.

But am looking to accelerate the process with whatever
tools I can get my hands on.  

ART