An overview of different types of mathematics and its applications. What is mathematics and why does it 'work'?
A look at the way mathematics can tell you things about the world that you cannot learn any other way: how computers have extended the reach of humans, the simple nature of many 'hard' problems, how to win at dice, modern concepts of chaos and complexity, and whether the Premier Football League is just a random process after all- Gresham College
Bio
John D. Barrow
John D. Barrow FRS, former Gresham Professor of Geometry, has been Professor of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge since 1999. He is carrying out research in mathematical physics, with special interest in cosmology, gravitation, particle physics and associated applied mathematics.
Since its inception in 1999 John Barrow has been the director of the Millennium Mathematics Project which aims to improve the understanding and appreciation of mathematics and its applications amongst young people and the general public. This has born fruit with the Project's receiving the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Educational Achievement in 2005. Further to this, he has received many awards and prizes for his own research in mathematics and astronomy, including the Locker Prize for Astronomy and the 2006 Templeton Prize.
He is the author of over 420 articles and 19 books, translated in 28 languages, exploring the wider historical, philosophical and cultural ramifications of developments in mathematics, physics and astronomy. He has also delivered lectures in a perhaps unique combination of locations including 10 Downing Street, Windsor Castle, the Vatican Palace and the Venice Film festival. He is also the author of the (Italian language) Infinities, which won the Italian Premi Ubu award for the best play in Italian theatre in 2002.
The appointment of Professor Barrow to the Geometry chair at Gresham College repeats a feat only previous achieved in 1652 by the founding member of the Royal Society, Lawrence Rooke. Having been a highly popular Astronomy professor between 2003 and 2007, Professor Barrow is only the second professor in Gresham College's four-century history to have been appointed to two separate chairs.
Not Just About the Numbers . . . .
If Infinity is some kind of reality: what to do?
1.
Classic physics has infinity as conception of
Newtonian space and Newtonian time.
2.
Quantum theory meets with infinity.
3.
Cosmology occupied with infinity.
. . . etc . . . .
===.
About every part of physics occupied with concept ‘ infinity’.
But . . . Infinity is a irrational concept.
We cannot measure it. (!)
What to do?
#
I can say: God doesn’t exist because we cannot see him/ her /it,
touch him/ her/ it, hear or smell him /her/ it.
Millions will agree with this argument.
But in Physics I cannot say the Infinity doesn’t exist because
we cannot measure it..
Is it true, we cannot measure it, but it appears again and again
in many physical and mathematical problems.
In spit of my or your or physicists wish it appears again and again
because . . . because it is some kind of reality. (!)
What to do?
#
The answer can be only one: If we cannot escape
the concept ‘ Infinity’, if ‘ Infinity’ is some kind of reality,
then we must agree with it existence and find the ‘ hidden’
parameters of ‘ Infinity’ in Physics.
#
It seems, that the best role on this place can take
only two physical parameters: T= 0K and E= 0 = infinite
( the lowest state of cosmic background energy).
#
Maybe somebody will suggest another concrete physical
parameter or parameters?
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Best wishes.
Israel Sadovnik. Socratus.
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