The Best Writing on Mathematics 2011

by Mircea Pitici (Editor), Freeman Dyson (Foreword)

This anthology brings together the year's finest mathematics writing from around the world. Featuring promising new voices alongside some of the foremost names in the field, The Best Writing on Mathematics 2011 makes available to a wide audience many articles not easily found anywhere else--and you don't need to be a mathematician to enjoy them. These writings offer surprising insights into the nature, meaning, and practice of mathematics today. They delve into the history, philosophy, teaching, and everyday occurrences of math, and take readers behind the scenes of today's hottest mathematical debates. Here Ian Hacking discusses the salient features that distinguish mathematics from other disciplines of the mind; Doris Schattschneider identifies some of the mathematical inspirations of M. C. Escher's art; Jordan Ellenberg describes compressed sensing, a mathematical field that is reshaping the way people use large sets of data; Erica Klarreich reports on the use of algorithms in the job market for doctors; and much, much more.

In addition to presenting the year's most memorable writings on mathematics, this must-have anthology includes a foreword by esteemed physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson. This book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in where math has taken us--and where it is headed.

Genres: Mathematics, Nonfiction

416 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Mark Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good stuff here! I'm planning on reading the rest of the books in this series.

Here are my favorite essays from this volume:

"The Mathematical Side of M. C. Escher" by Doris Schattschneider

"The Conjoint Origin of Proof and Theoretical Physics" by Hans Niels Jahnke

"What Anti-realism in Philosophy of Mathematics Must Offer" by Feng Ye.

[A YOGAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nach der einführenden Betrachtung des Auftaktbandes beginnt die folgende Übersicht mit dem Jahrgang 2011. Eine ausführlichere Einführung zum Ausgangspunkt dieser Reihe findet sich hier:
 The Best Writing on Mathematics 2010
* „The Mathematical Side of M. C. Escher“ von Doris Schattschneider. Sie zeigt meisterhaft, dass Escher kein bloßer Illustrator war, sondern mathematische Symmetrien tief durchdrang, bevor die Mathematiker selbst dafür Namen hatten.
* „Did Over-Reliance on Mathematical Models Create the Financial Crisis?“ von David J. Hand. Eine kritische Analyse (passend zu unserem Thema „Arroganz“), die zeigt, was passiert, wenn Modelle für die Realität gehalten werden.
* Ioan James – „Autism and Mathematical Talent“: Der Autor untersucht die oft diskutierte Verbindung zwischen autistischen Spektrumsstörungen und außergewöhnlichen mathematischen Fähigkeiten.