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Political Numeracy: Mathematical Perspective on Our Chaotic Constitution
"An engaging and unusual perspective on the no-man's land between mathematics and the law."―John Allen Paulos From the impossibility of a perfectly democratic vote to a clarifying model for affirmative action debates, constitutional law professor and math enthusiast Michael Meyerson "provides an engaging and unusual perspective on the no-man's land between mathematics and the law" (John Allen Paulos). In thoroughly accessible and entertaining terms, Meyerson shows how the principle of probability influenced the outcomes of the O. J. Simpson trials; makes a convincing case for the mathematical virtues of the electoral college; uses game theory to explain the federal government's shifting balance of power; relates the concept of infinity to the heated abortion debate; and uses topology and chaos theory to explain how our Constitution has successfully survived social and political change. b/w illustrations, charts
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2002
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About the author
Michael Meyerson
12 books7 followersI am a Professor of Law and Piper & Marbury Faculty Fellow at the University of Baltimore, specializing in constitutional law and American legal history.
I received my B.A. from Hampshire College in 1976 and my law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1979. I also studied at Middlebury College and am still proud that I graduated from the Bronx High School of Science. One of the most important lessons I learned at Hampshire College was the value of interdisciplinary work. As an undergraduate, I was an American Studies major, which meant that I was able to study history, literature, economics, and political science and see how they all fit together. At law school, I had the opportunity to study with George Haskins, a leading legal historian, as well as with Constitutional Law scholar Paul Bender. Both of them taught me that law, in its proper context, could be beautiful and exciting. As a law student, I also was fortunate to be able to work with two brilliant and caring lawyers, Will Hellerstein, then at the Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Appeals Bureau in New York City, and Joel Gora, then Associate Legal Director with the American Civil Liberties Union. [Interestingly, both are now on the faculty of Brooklyn Law School]. While supervising my writing a brief seeking to overturn a murder conviction, Will showed me that constitutional rights can only be protected if we understand their history – where they came from, why they were created, and why they were so valued. Joel, who supervised my internship at the ACLU, continually demonstrated how legal decisions can affect the lives of ordinary people.
I have written two books,Liberty’s Blueprint: How Madison and Hamilton Wrote The Federalist Papers, Defined the Constitution, and Made Democracy Safe for the World Liberty's Blueprint and Political Numeracy: Mathematical Perspectives on Our Chaotic Constitution Political Numeracy. I am also co-author, with Dan Brenner and Monroe Price, of a treatise on cable television law, Cable Television and Other Nonbroadcast Media (Thomson West 1990 plus annual updates).
I have also written many scholarly law review articles and book chapters. My favorites include, “The Irrational Supreme Court,” in the Nebraska Law Review, “Virtual Constitutions: The Creation of Rules for Governing Private Networks,” in the Harvard Journal of Law & Technology, and “The Pre-history of the Prior Restraint Doctrine: Rediscovering the Link between the First Amendment and the Separation of Powers,” in the Indiana Law Review.
I am married and live in Maryland.
I received my B.A. from Hampshire College in 1976 and my law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1979. I also studied at Middlebury College and am still proud that I graduated from the Bronx High School of Science. One of the most important lessons I learned at Hampshire College was the value of interdisciplinary work. As an undergraduate, I was an American Studies major, which meant that I was able to study history, literature, economics, and political science and see how they all fit together. At law school, I had the opportunity to study with George Haskins, a leading legal historian, as well as with Constitutional Law scholar Paul Bender. Both of them taught me that law, in its proper context, could be beautiful and exciting. As a law student, I also was fortunate to be able to work with two brilliant and caring lawyers, Will Hellerstein, then at the Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Appeals Bureau in New York City, and Joel Gora, then Associate Legal Director with the American Civil Liberties Union. [Interestingly, both are now on the faculty of Brooklyn Law School]. While supervising my writing a brief seeking to overturn a murder conviction, Will showed me that constitutional rights can only be protected if we understand their history – where they came from, why they were created, and why they were so valued. Joel, who supervised my internship at the ACLU, continually demonstrated how legal decisions can affect the lives of ordinary people.
I have written two books,Liberty’s Blueprint: How Madison and Hamilton Wrote The Federalist Papers, Defined the Constitution, and Made Democracy Safe for the World Liberty's Blueprint and Political Numeracy: Mathematical Perspectives on Our Chaotic Constitution Political Numeracy. I am also co-author, with Dan Brenner and Monroe Price, of a treatise on cable television law, Cable Television and Other Nonbroadcast Media (Thomson West 1990 plus annual updates).
I have also written many scholarly law review articles and book chapters. My favorites include, “The Irrational Supreme Court,” in the Nebraska Law Review, “Virtual Constitutions: The Creation of Rules for Governing Private Networks,” in the Harvard Journal of Law & Technology, and “The Pre-history of the Prior Restraint Doctrine: Rediscovering the Link between the First Amendment and the Separation of Powers,” in the Indiana Law Review.
I am married and live in Maryland.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 2, 2013
As a math professor at a community college, I would much prefer that my students read and understand a book like this than that they can factor an expression. For any political science major, I think this is a must read.
January 27, 2017
This is a must read for any educated American Citizen. It walks through the origins of the US constitution and judiciary in a way that allows anyone to comprehend things such as the electoral college.
August 14, 2009
A math-intensive look at using statistics & probability to determine a politcal outcome; especially various ways to resolve a democratic election with more than two candidates.
July 18, 2009
Book divided into different mathematical topics by chapters. I was looking forward to reading it, but it was surprisingly fun.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews