Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Between Heaven And Earth! A Poem-Collage Pair About Hypatia Of Alexandria, Sarah Glaz, Mark Sanders

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The poem-collage pair presented here is a work of collaboration between the mathematician and poet, Sarah Glaz, and the collage and ceramic artist, Mark Sanders. The piece is part of their larger joint poem-collage project involving the history of mathematics. Included as background is a brief discussion on the history and mathematics involved, and a reflection on several landmark locations and some of the relevant imagery appearing in the poem and the collage.

Astor Place Barber, Audrey Nasar

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

"Astor Place Barber" is a short story about a math professor and a barber. It plays with the logical concept of a paradox via the Barber's Paradox, which, made famous by Bertrand Russell, tells the story of a barber who both shaves himself and does not shave himself.

Locked In Functions: A Short Poem For Robert Langlands, Virgilio A. Rivas

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This short poem is inspired by Robert Langlands, recipient of the 2018 Abel Prize. The poem tries to sum up in poetic language, as brief but substantial as it can be, the philosophical and rhetorical connotation of his contributions to mathematics, from automorphic forms to number theory, and the famous Langlands programme, among others. Also partly inspired by Edward Frenkel's tribute to Langlands, the book Love and Mathematics, the poem seeks to capture the philosophical beauty of mathematics that privileges the importance of 'functions' over 'passions', consistent with Langlands' purely mathematical side.

Unsolved Haiku, Scott W. Williams

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This poem describes the still unsolved 1937 conjecture of Lloyd Collatz: Do repeated applications of the algorithm described yield the number 1?

Mathematics, Kim Regnier Jongerius

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Inspired by the song "Memories" from the musical Cats, this work describes some of the frustrations and joys inherent in mathematical work.

Self-Reference And Diagonalisation, Joël A. Doat

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This poem is an exercise on self-reference and diagonalisation in mathematics featuring Turing’s proof of the undecidability of the halting problem, Cantor’s cardinality argument, the Burali-Forti paradox, and Epimenides' liar paradox.

Wartime Logic, Tony Bedenikovic

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Poetry Folder: Mathematical Constants Beyond The Half-Circle

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In our July 2022 issue, we announced an open call for poetry about mathematical constants other than pi. And you delivered. This folder contains five eclectic poems celebrating those constants beyond the half-circle, written by Robin Chapman, John Donoghue, Kevin Farey, Lawrence M. Lesser, and E. R. Lutken.

Enjoy!

Book Review: Algebra The Beautiful: An Ode To Math’S Least-Loved Subject By G. Arnell Williams, Judith V. Grabiner

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In his book Algebra the Beautiful, G. Darnell Williams has undertaken a challenging job – to show the importance, deep structure, intellectual connections, and sheer beauty of classroom algebra. This review describes some of the questions the book raises, the historical and cultural context it provides, and the intellectual apparatus it deploys.

Anneli Lax: They Think, Therefore We Are, Elena Anne Corie Marchisotto

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Walking Alone: My Career In Mathematics, Maohua Le, Yongzhong Hu

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In this article, dictated by Maohua Le and arranged by Yongzhong Hu, Professor Le briefly recounts his legendary experience of self-study mathematics, which reflects the life experiences of his generation of Chinese people.

Blending Mathematics Teaching With Kindness, Kien H. Lim, Anthony Matsuura

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Mathematics can be intellectually demanding, engaging, and fulfilling. Learning mathematical concepts adequately warrants an environment where students can err without penalty, shame, or hurtful consequences. Teaching mathematics efficaciously depends on the trusting relationship between the teacher and the students. We advocate blending mathematics teaching with kindness because it benefits the teacher, the students, and society. Kindness, niceness, caring, and benevolence are interrelated but not synonymous. We outline four progressive levels of kindness: conditional, superficial, optimal, and genuine. Blending mathematics teaching and kindness effectively requires the teacher to decenter from their own perspectives and adopt the student’s perspective as the student …

Mathaphor As A Literary Tool, Sarah Voss

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Drawing from one of my recent sermons, I chart the path of mathaphor (metaphor drawn from mathematics) as a literary tool. Following a short history of the concept, I detail contemporary author Colum McCann’s significant use of a geometric term to unveil and encourage compassion.

Using Bloom's Taxonomy For Math Outreach Within And Outside The Classroom, Manmohan Kaur

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Not everyone is a great artist, but we don’t often hear, “I dislike art.” Most people are able to appreciate visual arts, music and sports, without necessarily excelling in it themselves. On the other hand, the phrase “I dislike math” is widely prevalent. This is especially ironic in our current society, where mathematics affects our day-to-day activities in essential ways such as e-commerce and e-mail. This paper describes the opportunity to popularize mathematics by focusing on its fun and creative aspects, and illustrates this opportunity through a brief discussion of interdisciplinary topics that expose the beauty, elegance and value of …

The Mathematics Of The Harp: Modeling The Classical Instrument And Designing Futuristic Ones, Cristina Carr, Daniel Chioffi, Maya Glenn, Stefan O. Nita, Vlad N. Nita, Bogdan G. Nita

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

We analyze and model the neck of the classical harp based on the length of the strings, their tension and density. We then use the results to design new and innovative harp shapes by adjusting the parameters of the model.

Lessons From Human Experience: Teaching A Humanities Course Made Me A Better Math Teacher, Erin Griesenauer

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

As a professor at a Liberal Arts college, I recently taught a General Education course called Human Experience. Far from my normal experiences in the mathematics classroom, in Human Experience I was tasked with teaching topics from the humanities, including art, philosophy, history, and political science. Teaching this course was challenging, but it was also transformative. Teaching a course so far from my background gave me the opportunity to experiment with different pedagogical techniques and to reflect on how I set up my math classes. I learned many lessons that I have brought back to my math classes—lessons that have …

The Nothing That Really Matters, Szilárd Svitek

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Zero has (a) special role(s) in mathematics. In the current century, we take negative numbers and zero for granted, but we should also be aware that their acceptance and their emergence in mathematics, and their ubiquity today, have not come to happen as rapidly as, for example, that of natural numbers. Students can quickly become confused by the question: is zero a natural number? The answer is simple: a matter of definition. The history of zero and that of negative numbers are closely linked. It was in the calculations of debts that the negative numbers first appeared, where the state …

The Use And Development Of Mathematics Within Creative Literature, Toby S C Peres

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This paper presents a study on the extent to which creative literature been used as a vessel to carry forward the development of mathematical thought. The role of mathematics as a driving force for literature is highlighted, and while many examples exist that clearly show an attempt to disperse mathematical ideas, with Lewis Carroll, OuLiPo and ancient poetry considered, the argument that the sole purpose of the writings was for the sake of mathematical development is not clear-cut.

Where Do Babies Come From?, Marcio Luis Ferreira Nascimento

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

According to European folklore, popularized by a fairy tale, storks are responsible for bringing babies to new parents. This probably came from observation in certain European countries, such as Norway, Netherlands or Germany, that storks nesting on the roofs of households were believed to bring good luck, as the possibility of new births. People love stories, but correlation simply means that there is a relationship between two factors that tells nothing about the direction of said relationship, if any. Another possibility is simple coincidence. Let us say that it’s possible that one factor causes another. It’s also possible that the …

A Classification Of Musical Scales Using Binary Sequences, Thomas Hillen

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Every beginning music student has gone through the four main musical scales: major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor. And some might wonder, why those four and not five, or six, or just three? Here we show that a mathematical classification can be used to identify these scales as representatives of certain scale families. Moreover, the classification reveals another scale family, which is much less known: the harmonic major scale. We find that each scale family contains exactly seven scales, which include the modes (dorian, phrygian,...) and other scales such as the Romanian, …

From A Doodle To A Theorem: A Case Study In Mathematical Discovery, Juan FernáNdez GonzáLez, Dirk Schlimm

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

We present some aspects of the genesis of a geometric construction, which can be carried out with compass and straightedge, from the original idea to the published version (Fernández González 2016). The Midpoint Path Construction makes it possible to multiply the length of a line segment by a rational number between 0 and 1 by constructing only midpoints and a straight line. In the form of an interview, we explore the context and narrative behind the discovery, with first-hand insights by its author. Finally, we discuss some general aspects of this case study in the context of philosophy of mathematical …

Where Does Mathematics Come From? Really, Where?, Mark Huber, Gizem Karaali

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Transcription And Translation Of Nicole Oresme: Quaestiones Super Geometricam Euclidis: Questio 2, Daniel E. Otero

2023, February 10-11 ORESME Reading Group Meeting

No abstract provided.

Abdoo, Mary, 1913-1990 (Sc 3668), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3668. “The Elk Horn Coal Corporation,” by Mary Abdoo. The 1935 report examines Elkhorn coal as well as the corporation’s history, officers, and financial status. Includes a letter from the author outlining the company’s approval of the report.

National Development And The Sustainability Of Mining In The Atacama Desert, Chile, Dakota Soleil Osgood

Capstone Collection

As climate change continues to intensify on a global scale, efforts have been made to implement renewable energies and progressive technologies. These tools are critical in the shift towards a more sustainable practice, and yet analysis of localized impacts from the development of these mechanisms is inadequate. Chile has been and continues to be a leading country in mineral extraction, with an economic history founded in the mining industry. The establishment of mining in Chile as a progressive tool has aided the social and economic development of the nation. Consequences of mining extraction, however, include intensive environmental degradation, human rights …

Queer Ecologies: A Final Syllabus/Zine Product Of Our Independent Study, Yeh Seo Jung, Ray Craig

Crossings: Swarthmore Undergraduate Feminist Research Journal

This zine is the product of our independent study course Queer Ecologies, which is an exploration of bio-social systems using a queer and feminist theoretical lens. We aim to look critically at knowledge formation and construct alternative visions for more just and sustainable relationships between science, nature, and ourselves. While queer theory most directly interrogates the normative structure of heterosexuality both in humans and in biology more broadly, these studies include analyses of hierarchy, power, and value. Queer Ecology can be used to examine phenomena such as climate change, extinction, pollution, species hierarchies, agricultural practices, resource extraction, and human population …

Doctoral Studies As Learning To Rename The World, Hyleen Mariaye

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

The reflective experience documented in this paper engages with doctoral learning from Freire’s (1968/2000) conceptual lens of naming the world. Written from the narrative lens of the supervisor, it considers how doctoral level studies in education can position both the supervisor and the candidates as agents actively reconstructing their understanding of the world and their place in it. The doctoral journey is viewed as praxis compelling researchers to expand their frames for reading the world, accommodating the other, including multiple voices and thus demonstrating commitment to a global and yet constantly contested notion of citizenship.

Poetry And Praxis: Lessons From An Activist Educator, Dr. Emmanuel Tabi

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Drawing on data from a narrative multi-case study based in Toronto, Canada, this article discusses the lived experiences of one Black activist. Utilizing critical race theory, new literacy studies and the rhetoric of cultural production as theoretical frameworks, the article foregrounds the work of Ebele, a Toronto activist whose work supported the educational trajectories and emotional well-being of Black students, many of whom reported being marginalized in school. Through his creative labor, Ebele directly addressed the sociology of anti-Black racism that deeply influences the lives of Afrodiasporic people in Canada. This article continues the conversation about what it means to …

Eat Your Invasives: A Practical And Historical Analysis Of Foraging For Invasive Foods, Grace Hartman

Honors Projects

This paper discusses both the historical and modern role of foraging and why people may decide to forage, as well as barriers new foragers may face and how they can be overcome. Furthermore, the paper discusses how foraging for invasive species can be used as a method of conservation and how simple foraging can be encouraged for this reason.