Math as an Area of Knowledge

Title: Math as an Area of Knowledge
Date: 28 November 2011
Class: Theory of Knowledge
Category: In Class

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      In class we watched a TED talk regarding math as an area of knowledge (AOK). The speaker was a French mathematician, giving the sense that he is a reliable source for information (Appeal to authority). During his talk, he explored the two questions of whether math was invented or discovered and whether math is a reliable area of knowledge. I found his latter exploration to be quite fascinating. He used fractals found in nature (specifically cauliflowers) to reason that math was discovered. He stated that by cutting bits of cauliflower, these bits resembled the shape of the cauliflower of the whole. Therefore, an obvious geometric pattern could be observed. By observing and making claims about math as an area of knowledge, he used sense perception to reason his claim as being valid.

            However, his claim brings about several knowledge issues. Many have placed the title that geometry is a part of math. However, who decides what is and should be considered as math? How do they determine this? [Knowledge Issues] I feel like in the past, people did not necessarily have a name for “math”. I think that people used counting systems, and this was the only necessary form of math. If this hypothesis is correct, when did this simple counting system branch into other forms such as calculus and statistics? [Wondering] In the modern day, people can major in mathematics, and mathematics is a core subject for education from elementary to university education. How did people decide that math was so important that it should be taught so frequently and consistently? On a broader scale, how did people decide what is important enough to be taught as a core subject? Who has a say in this? Why is it that this is universally agreed upon? [Knowledge Issues/Wondering]