Re: [FRIAM] Arthur Benjamin's formula for changing math education | Video on TED.com

I am reading Spivak's book(s) on differential geometry (there are 5
volumes).  This includes topics like vector bundles, tensors, Lie groups,
Riemannian metrics and de Rahm cohomology.  I find the notation to be
beautiful and succinct and I think it would be very difficult to treat those
topics with only the symbols on a standard keyboard.  Obviously TeX or other
tools can convert such symbols to the elegant notation but...

Frank

-----Original Message-----
From: discuss-bounces@...
[mailto:discuss-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Joseph Traub
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 8:20 PM
To: Owen Densmore; friam@...
Cc: Joseph Traub; discuss@...
Subject: [sfx: Discuss] [FRIAM] Arthur Benjamin's formula for changing math
education | Video on TED.com

Owen,

I find nothing to argue with in Benjamin's talk. He says that students
studying economics, science, engineering, or math should learn calculus
but that it may not be needed by other students who should study
probability and statistics.

However, I don't understand your comment that math notation is the roman
numerals of our times. Which branch of math do you have in mind? Certainly
not calculus, where, as you know, we use Leibniz's elegant notation.

I also don't follow your comment about discrete versus continuous.
Among theoretical computer scientists, people who want to understand
the power of the computer and questions such as P vs NP study discrete
problems whereas people like me who want to solve problems
coming from, say, physics or computational finance think about solving
continuous problems such as path integration.

Best, Joe
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Joseph F. Traub,   Edwin Howard Armstrong Professor of Computer Science
                    and External Professor, Santa Fe Institute

traub@...          http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~traub

Phone: (212) 939-7013    Messages: (212) 939-7000    Fax: (212) 666-0140

Columbia University
Computer Science Department
1214 Amsterdam Avenue, MC0401
New York, NY 10027
USA

Administrative Assistant: Sophie Majewski
sophie@... (212)939-7023


**************************************************************

  From: Owen Densmore <owen@...>
  Date: June 29, 2009 12:07:14 PM MDT
  To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group
<friam@...>,
  General topics & issues <discuss@...>
  Subject: [FRIAM] Arthur Benjamin's formula for changing math education |
  Video on TED.com
  Reply-To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group
  <friam@...>

  This is kinda cool and less than 3 minutes long!
 
http://www.ted.com/talks/arthur_benjamin_s_formula_for_changing_math_educati
on.h
  tml

  The thesis is a different spin on my claim that modern Math Notation (MN)
is
  the roman numerals of our times.  Arthur Benjamin clearly explains
  that  statistics and probability should be the "pinnacle" of our basic
math
  education, not calculus.  His reasoning includes the discrete vs
continuous
  argument that resonates with my MN vs Algorithm (or MN vs script) concern,
  which I'd love to see resolved in a parsable reworking of MN.

     -- Owen


  ============================================================
  FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
  Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
  lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
_______________________________________________
Discuss mailing list
Discuss@...
http://lists.sfcomplex.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
http://www.nabble.com/sfComplex-Discuss-f33403.html

_______________________________________________
Discuss mailing list
Discuss@...
http://lists.sfcomplex.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
http://www.nabble.com/sfComplex-Discuss-f33403.html