Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
5-30-2015
Abstract
The subtitle of Mathematics without Apologies by Michael Harris is a “Portrait of a Problematic Vocation,”and that problematic vocation involves pure mathematics. What do pure mathematicians do, and why should they do it? Harris critiques the usual answers of truth, beauty, and potential applications as he gives a contemporary revision of G.H. Hardys’ A Mathematicians Apology. Described as a post-post-modern book, Mathematics without Apologies provides a cultural, sociological, philosophical and psychological landscape of the profession and the life of a mathematician. We will explore whether a romantic view of the profession satisfactorily answers the questions and how it might compare to a Christian perspective.
Recommended Citation
Case, Jeremy, "Mathematics Without Apologies: A Portrait of a Problematic Vocation by Michael Harris. A Review" (2015). ACMS Conference Proceedings 2015. 6.
https://pillars.taylor.edu/acms-2015/6
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