Some thoughts about mathematics as a cultural and social technology.
Why Math is an Art, Not a Science
Mathematics is usually classed with the sciences, both in official catalogs and in the popular imagination. People who are good at science…
zach lieberman on Twitter / X
Today I was able to weave a line from Myron Krueger in a talk I gave : Computation is the medium of our lifetimes - it’s not just a technical medium but a cultural medium as well. We should explore the culture of computation.— zach lieberman (@zachlieberman) April 10, 2024
Phillip M. Alday
I was a struggling mathematician, then a linguist and now a (cognitive) neuroscientist, but will probably always be a hacker. I also moonlight as an applied statistician. These are some of the things I’ve done along the way.
The Year in Math and Computer Science
Mathematicians and computer scientists made big progress in number theory, graph theory, machine learning and quantum computing, even as they reexamined our fundamental understanding of mathematics…
My Journey Back to Math: A Short Review of MathAcademy
Personal journey of rediscovering math through MathAcademy and learning in public
The Myth and Magic of Generating New Ideas
A mathematician on how to get the mind into motion.
Mathematics in the age of AI
An essay, based on a public lecture delivered at the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians, on how the mathematical community might respond to the arrival of artificial intelligence tools that are capable of performing research-level mathematical tasks. Rather than debating the capabilities of such tools, we condition on the hypothesis that these capabilities will arrive, and examine instead a question that is orthogonal to it: what the goals and values of mathematical research actually are. The problem-solving component of mathematics is used as a case study.
Artificial intelligence in mathematics education: The good, the bad, and the ugly
Integrating Artificial Intelligence [AI] into mathematics education offers promising advancements and potential pitfalls. Striking a balance between AI-driven developments and preserving core pedagogical principles is critical in the teaching and learning environment. AI has emerged as a transformative force in various fields, including education. In the realm of mathematics education, AI technologies offer a spectrum of potential benefits (including personalize instruction, adaptive assessment, interactive learning environments, and real-time feedback, among others) and challenges (such as lack of creativity and problem-solving skills, inability to explain reasoning, bias in data and algorithms, absence of emotional intelligence and data privacy and security concern etc). This conceptual study used autoethnography as the methodology and qualitative content approach to analyze data. The study discussed historical background of AI and considered ethical issues around AI. It was concluded that the journey to harness the full potential of AI in mathematics education requires careful navigation of the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects inherent in this technological evolution.
How to Study Mathematics
This essay describes a number of strategies for studying college level mathematics. It has sections entitled
What it Means to Be a Mathematician When AI Does the Math
Researchers debate motivation, purpose, and the field’s future
Kill Math
The power to understand and predict the quantities of the world should not be restricted to those with a freakish knack for manipulating abstract symbols.
Mathematical Thinking Isn’t What You Think It Is | Quanta Magazine
The mathematician David Bessis claims that everyone is capable of, and can benefit greatly from, mathematical thinking.
Thoughtful and relevant outside math. A partial summary: Gowers thinks it’s important to sustain a human mathematical culture, but is unconvinced by the Leiden Declaration’s attempt to do that by reaffirming human ownership of specific *discoveries*.
tachikoma
an interesting blog post by Timothy Gowers on the Leiden declaration (on AI and Math), on why he didn't sign. it gets to a subtler aspect of control over AI and our future.
