Syllabus and course description
Writing-related resources
Day-by-day goings-on:
- Thursday, January 12th. First day of class! We will begin with some simple writing exercises and sharing of our own mathematical biographies.
We will also examine a few basic experiments in mathematical cognition, including experiments considering
Homework for Thursday, January 19th: read Part One (pp. ix-78) of Dehaene, and write a 1-to-2-page response to the reading. (Expectations for reading response papers are given above.)
- Thursday, January 19th. We will discuss the first three chapters of Dehaene, with special attention paid to the roots of number sense and the psychological experiments designed to get at them.
Homework for Thursday, January 26th: read Part Two (pp. 79-160) of Dehaene, and write a response to the reading.
- Thursday, January 26th. We discuss Chapters 4 through 6 of Dehaene. The following links might prove as the basis for some discussion:
Homework for Thursday, February 9th: read Part Three (pp. 161-236) of Dehaene, and write a response to the reading. Also,
begin work on your first major writing assignment. (Please note the due dates for various stages of this assignment.)
- Thursday, February 2nd. Sadly, I will be out of town and unable to meet with class on this day. We will make arrangements by email to make up this absence at a later date.
- Thursday, February 9th. We discuss Part Three of Dehaene. I will also make availble excerpts from some other texts (by Anthony Aveni, Richard Cytowic, Cordelia Fine, and Georges Ifrah.) Here are some links that might prove interesting or informative:
Homework for Thursday, February 16th: read Chapter 10 (pp. 237-278) of Dehaene and the introduction and first three sections of Lakatos (pp. 1-12), and write a response to the reading. Make sure to get me your drafts of your first major writing assignments by Tuesday evening, so that I can get you a peer's draft to read in advance of next Thursday's class!
- Thursday, February 16th. We will finish up Dehaene by discussing the last chapter, on recent advances in the neuropsychology of mathematics. We will also get started on Imre Lakatos, discussing the first three sections of Proofs and refutations (this may involve some forays into higher mathematics!).
Homework for Thursday, February 23rd: read Section 4 of Lakatos (pp. 13-42) and Karl Popper's lecture "Science: Conjectures and refutations" (I will email you copies of this). As usual, please write a response to these readings. Also, please review whichever peer's paper you are assigned, guided by your completion of this handout.
- Thursday, February 23rd. After a bit of peer review, we discuss the readings from Popper and Lakatos.
Homework for Thursday, March 1st: Re-read Lakatos's classroom multilogue through the 5th section (p. 56), focusing your attention on your character. In your response, please comment on the perceived philosophy, personality, etc., of your character.
- Thursday, March 1st. We go over our re-reading of Lakatos (in character, perhaps...?), and we take a quick look at how Lakatos sizes up against Monty Python. I humbly submit my own list of possible conversation topics, as well.
Homework for Thursday, March 15th: Complete the first stage of your second extended written project, Logically speaking.... We will discuss these topics in our next class meeting.
- Thursday, March 8th. Spring Break! No class! Please have a wonderful week off!
- Thursday, March 15th. We will spend some time unpacking the topics you were offered for your written project (see the prompt two entries back!).
Homework for Friday, March 23rd: Complete the second stage of your second written project, submitting your first draft to me electronically by midnight on this date.
Homework for Thursday, March 29th: Read Chapter 3 of John L. Casti's Mathematical mountaintops (on the Continuum Hypothesis) and Chapter 1 of Francesco Berto's There's something about Gödel (on mathematical paradoxes and the foundations of the Incompleteness Theorem). Please write a response to one of these readings.
- Thursday, March 22nd. I will not be present on this day, but you should come to class in order to meet with your peers and discuss drafts of one another's papers, drafts of which are due to me by Friday, March 23rd at midnight.
- Thursday, March 29th. Today our discussion begins with the Continuum Hypothesis and Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem (centered on the readings by Casti and Berto). We then turn to summarizing, developing a concept map of our findings together. This will help you with your...
Homework for Thursday, April 5th: get started on your final writing project, Freestyle, the first stage of which is due next week. Also, here is a rubric that will help you understand the criteria by which we will assess your presentations.
- Thursday, April 5th. For the first half of class we'll take a first look at the topics you've each selected to present upon, reflecting on the topics through writing and discussion. At 6:45 we'll head over to Lipinsky Auditorium to take in the 2012 Parsons Lecture, given by Prof. Judy Walker of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Homework for Thursday, April 12th: please continue working on your final project, the second stage of which is due next week!
- Thursday, April 12th. We will discuss the future of mathematics, in general and in our own lives. I will also ask you for brief updates on your final projects, and we will schedule your presentations next week.
Homework for Thursday, April 19th: please continue working on your final project, the final stages of which are due next week. (Your presentations, of course, will take place in class next week!)
- Thursday, April 19th. You will take turns presenting on the topics of your final projects!
- Thursday, April 26th (6:30 p.m.). This is the time scheduled for our final exam. I would like to propose that we meet at this time in a relaxed setting (a nearby eatery or watering hole?) to reflect (very?) informally.
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