Mathematics for human flourishing

An inclusive vision of mathematics-- its beauty, its humanity, and its power to build virtues that help us all flourish. For mathematician Francis Su, a society without mathematical affection is like a city without museums. To miss out on mathematics is to live without experiencing some of humanity&...

Full description

Main Author: Su, Francis Edward (Author)
Format: Books Print Book
Language: English
Published: New Haven : Yale University Press, [2020]
Subjects:
Summary: An inclusive vision of mathematics-- its beauty, its humanity, and its power to build virtues that help us all flourish. For mathematician Francis Su, a society without mathematical affection is like a city without museums. To miss out on mathematics is to live without experiencing some of humanity's most beautiful ideas. In this profound book, written for a diverse audience but especially for those disenchanted by their past experiences, an award-winning mathematician and educator weaves personal reflections, puzzles, and stories to show how mathematics meets basic human desires and cultivates virtues essential for human flourishing. Readers will explore mathematical concepts-- and see how mathematical thinking can even fulfill such longings as for love, play, freedom, justice, and community. Some lessons come from those who have struggled, including philosopher Simone Weil, whose own mathematical contributions were overshadowed by her brother's, and Christopher Jackson, who discovered mathematics as an inmate in a federal prison. Christopher Jackson's letters to the author appear throughout the book and show how this intellectual pursuit can-- and must-- be open to all.
Physical Description: x, 274 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN: 9780300237139
0300237138
9780300258516
0300258518
Author Notes: Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, an award-winning math educator, and the past president of the Mathematical Association of America. His work has been featured in Quanta Magazine , Wired, and the New York Times .