Beauty and Explanation in Mathematics

March 10, 2014 - March 12, 2014
Umeå University

Umeå
Sweden

Speakers:

Marcus Giaquinto
University College London
Gila Hanna
University of Toronto
Juliette Kennedy
University of Helsinki
Marc Lange
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Nathalie Sinclair
Simon Fraser University
Mark Steiner
Hebrew University of Jerusalem

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The purpose of this workshop is to bring together philosophers, mathematicians, and mathematics educators to study a question which is both relevant and timely for all three groups, namely whether mathematical beauty and mathematical explanation are related. Our approach is largely empirical– we will develop a set of examples that will help us make necessary distinctions and connections. The central questions of the workshop fall into three classes. One class concerns relations between beauty and visualization in mathematics; the other class concerns relations between explanation and visualization in mathematics. The third, perhaps most intriguing, class deals with the question whether visualization is an essential link between explanation and beauty and mathematics, that is: When some mathematics is both beautiful and explanatory, does the conjunction depend on the presence of a visual element? In addition to the scientific aims of the workshop, an important goal is to reach across normally rigid disciplinary domains to work on an area of common interest.  We have invited top people from respective fields, some of whom know each other, but others (even within the same field) have never read each other s work.

Confirmed speakers:

  • Marcus Giaquinto, UCLondon
  • Gila Hanna, University of Toronto
  • Juliette Kennedy, University of Helsinki
  • Marc Lange, UNC Chapel Hill
  • Nathalie Sinclair, Simon Frasier University
  • Mark Steiner, Hebrew University

Registration will open in early January, and be limited to approximately 30 participants.

Organizers:

  • Manya Raman Sundström, manya.sundstrom(at)umu.se
  • Lars-Daniel Öhman, lars-daniel.ohman(at)math.umu.se

Additional information…

About Umeå, Cultural Capital of Europe: http://umea2014.se/en/

About Stockholm, Tourist Information: http://www.visitstockholm.com/en/

Generously supported by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (RJ). 

Co-hosted by Department of Science and Mathematics Education, and the Mathematics Department at Umeå University.

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