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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons™
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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Towards Ethical Ai: Mathematics Influences Human Behavior, Dioneia M. Monte-Serrat, Carlo Cattani
Towards Ethical Ai: Mathematics Influences Human Behavior, Dioneia M. Monte-Serrat, Carlo Cattani
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Mathematics plays an important role in the linguistic structure of artificial in- telligence (AI). We describe the linguistic process as a unique structure present both in human cognition and in cognitive computing. The close relationship with both AI and human cognition is due to this unique structure, which paves the way for AI to interfere with the behavior of those who interact with it. We highlight the role of mathematicians in designing algorithms—the core of the AI linguistic process—and in defining steps and instructions for AI. Because al- gorithms, through AI, interfere with the thought of those who interact with …
Responsible Data Science For Genocide Prevention, Victor Piercey
Responsible Data Science For Genocide Prevention, Victor Piercey
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
The term "genocide" emerged out of an effort to describe mass atrocities committed in the first half of the 20th century. Despite a convention of the United Nations outlawing genocide as a matter of international law, the problem persists. Some organizations (including the United Nations) are developing indicator frameworks and “early-warning” systems that leverage data science to produce risk assessments of countries where conflict is present. These tools raise questions about responsible data use, specifically regarding the data sources and social biases built into algorithms through their training data. This essay seeks to engage mathematicians in discussing these concerns.
A Case For Ethics In The Mathematics Major Curriculum, Feryal Alayont
A Case For Ethics In The Mathematics Major Curriculum, Feryal Alayont
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
When our students enter the workforce, be it in academia or in business, industry, government, they will be forced to make decisions about various ethical dilemmas. Once in a while, the scandalous stories like that of Enron, the three German auto-makers’ diesel fuel pact, and the Equifax data breach make the headlines. However, employees at every workplace are faced with small to large-scale ethical situations almost daily. In our majors’ future careers, a manager can be using an inappropriate graphic to display data to make the numbers look better, or the data collection processes used in a large public policy …
Towards Pedagogy Supporting Ethics In Modelling, Marie Oldfield
Towards Pedagogy Supporting Ethics In Modelling, Marie Oldfield
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Education for concepts such as ethics and societal responsibility that are critical in building robust and applicable mathematical and statistical models do currently exist in isolation but have not been incorporated into the mainstream curricula at the school or university level. This is partially due to the split between fields (such as mathematics, statistics, and computer science) in an educational setting but also the speed with which education is able to keep up with industry and its requirements. I argue that principles and frameworks of socially responsible modelling should begin at school level and that this would mean that ethics …
Benny, Barbara, And The Ethics Of Edtech, Geillan Aly
Benny, Barbara, And The Ethics Of Edtech, Geillan Aly
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Erlwanger (1973) shook the mathematics education world when he introduced Benny, a student who successfully worked through a behavioristic curriculum. Erlwanger showed how far removed Benny’s understanding of mathematics was from expectations. Erlwanger’s legacy is the basis for this comparative case study which explores students’ actions in the modern, in-class computer-centered emporium classroom. Many striking similarities are found between Pearson’s MyMathLabs (MML) and Benny’s Individually Prescribed Instruction curriculum. In this case study we meet Barbara, a student who succeeds in MML but shows little understanding of mathematical concepts and demonstrates that the legacy of Benny is his continued appearance in …
Violence In Mathematics Teaching. Reflections Inspired By Levinas’ Totality And Infinity, Adriano Demattè
Violence In Mathematics Teaching. Reflections Inspired By Levinas’ Totality And Infinity, Adriano Demattè
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
In mathematics class, violence is carried out in some usually not recognized situations. In this article, I share some reflections on the topic inspired by some passages of Totality and Infinity, work of the French-Lithuanian philosopher Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995). I find violence by the teacher in not promoting students’ understanding of mathematics, in a distorted use of rhetoric, and in interrupting an ethical relation. This article analyses situations taken from class activities, focusing on the teacher’s presentation of mathematical content and students’ interventions. I also propose that the improvement of interventions in mathematics education is possible and suggest theoretical …
Foundational Mathematical Beliefs And Ethics In Mathematical Practice And Education, Richard Spindler
Foundational Mathematical Beliefs And Ethics In Mathematical Practice And Education, Richard Spindler
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Foundational philosophical beliefs about mathematics in the mathematical community may have an unappreciated yet profound impact on ethics in mathematical practice and mathematics education, which also affects practice. A philosophical and historical basis of the dominant platonic and formalist views of mathematics are described and evaluated, after which an alternative evidence-based foundation for mathematical thought is outlined. The dualistic nature of the platonic view based on intuition is then compared to parallel historical developments of universalizing ethics in Western thought. These background ideas set the stage for a discussion of the impact of traditional mathematical beliefs on ethics in the …
Ethics And Mathematics – Some Observations Fifty Years Later, Gregor Nickel
Ethics And Mathematics – Some Observations Fifty Years Later, Gregor Nickel
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Almost exactly fifty years ago, Friedrich Kambartel, in his classic essay “Ethics and Mathematics,” did pioneering work in an intellectual environment that almost self-evidently assumed a strict separation of the two fields. In our first section we summarize and discuss that classical paper. The following two sections are devoted to complement and contrast Kambartel’s picture. In particular, the second section is devoted to ethical aspects of the indirect and direct mathematization of modern societies. The final section gives a short categorization of various philosophical positions with respect to the rationality of ethics and the mutual relation between ethics and mathematics.
Special Issue -- Ethics In Mathematics: Foreword, Catherine Buell, Victor Piercey
Special Issue -- Ethics In Mathematics: Foreword, Catherine Buell, Victor Piercey
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
No abstract provided.
Special Issue Call For Papers: Ethics In Mathematics, Catherine Buell, Victor Piercey
Special Issue Call For Papers: Ethics In Mathematics, Catherine Buell, Victor Piercey
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
The Journal of Humanistic Mathematics is pleased to announce a call for papers for a special issue on Ethics in Mathematics. Please send your abstract submissions via email to the guest editors by September 1, 2021. Initial submission of complete manuscripts is due December 1, 2021. The issue is currently scheduled to appear in July 2022.