[Edu-sig] Re: Losing the Plot

[Arthur]

Andrew writes -

>>Indeed - math has made a science of the algorithm. Yet I can't help but
>>wonder whether or not it is the emphasis on math and such technicality
>>that tends to leave many feeling excluded from (or reluctant to attempt)
>>programming. Consequently, this emphasis might have a tendency to elide

Kirby writes-

>That's a good point too.  I take a page from the explosive popularity
>of fractals. Here was a grass-roots, up welling of interest on the part
>of not math-specialists.  With computers, we can do art.  Math and art
>may be bridged, especially through geometry, and here especially is
>where computers really shine (PyGeo is a good example) -- much more so
>than calculators.


I had specifically logged on line to respond to this same point of Andrews,
in a very similar way.  Kirby beat me to it.

Certainly the history of math and philosophy are intertwined to very strong
degree.  I think both Kirby and myself are trying - partly through the use
of technology - to revitalize an interest in mathematics, as it relates to
philosophy, art, design, etc.

These is *not* a new concept.  The concept that mathematics is somehow
divorced from these pursuits is the new concept. A newer new concept, which
is an old concept, is the convergence.

I happen to be fascinated by projective geometry.  It was developed intially
by great artists, in studying perspective, then formalized by great
philosophers, some of whom were also considered to be the great
mathematicians of their day (or vice, versa - depending on how one wants to
look at it). In fact many liberal artists hardly understand that the names
they know as the significant philosophers, are the same names one studies in
the history of mathematics. This is true into the modern era.  I didn't
understand it, until I began studying mathematics - which I happen to do in
conjunction with studying programming.  Lots of fireworks went off, in fact.

And giving strong emphasis to visual mathematics is - as of today, I think -
elevating it, rather than dumbing it down.  Chaos theory, as Kirby points
out.  Wolfram's work.  Many, many other examples.

There *is* something to overcome, in terms of resistance.

At one point some young folk - I think high schoolers - joined in to a
discussion here, protesting the concept of bringing to together math and
programming curriculum.  They like programming and are good at it, they hate
math and are bad at it.

I don't blame them - if  math is being presented to them as it was presented
to me.

I like to think they would by no means hate math taught by Kirby or myself,
though.

If they don't like history, philosophy, art  -- they might have a problem,
though.

Art