Comments on: Blogging, Tic Tac Toe and the Future of Math http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/ The Big Questions | Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:35:58 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Just the Facts at Steven Landsburg | The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/comment-page-1/#comment-5971 Just the Facts at Steven Landsburg | The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:18:12 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=3105#comment-5971 [...] dimensions, the fraction of squares you must black out gets arbitrarily close to 100%. This is the density Hales Jewett theorem, and I have intentionally glossed over some technicalities in the [...] [...] dimensions, the fraction of squares you must black out gets arbitrarily close to 100%. This is the density Hales Jewett theorem, and I have intentionally glossed over some technicalities in the [...]

]]> By: Bob http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/comment-page-1/#comment-5177 Bob Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:45:47 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=3105#comment-5177 "If I were going to rename Fermat’s Last Theorem" The Landsburg Renaming. Which inevitably leads one to think of Robert Ludlum and eg "The Dunsinane Reforestation." “If I were going to rename Fermat’s Last Theorem”

The Landsburg Renaming.

Which inevitably leads one to think of Robert Ludlum and eg “The Dunsinane Reforestation.”

]]> By: Collaborative Mathematics « Insomniac memos http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/comment-page-1/#comment-5161 Collaborative Mathematics « Insomniac memos Mon, 12 Apr 2010 04:21:20 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=3105#comment-5161 [...] By Carl Sanders I thought this was cool. Group mathematics. Not sure how well it would transfer to theology, but I have a feeling [...] [...] By Carl Sanders I thought this was cool. Group mathematics. Not sure how well it would transfer to theology, but I have a feeling [...]

]]> By: Interesting Reading #463 – Navy Submarine Runs Eternally, Mini nuclear reactors on the way, Color e-readers, Robocop suit makes you as strong as Ironman, Bulk Breakfast Burritos and much more… – The Blogs at HowStuffWorks http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/comment-page-1/#comment-5158 Interesting Reading #463 – Navy Submarine Runs Eternally, Mini nuclear reactors on the way, Color e-readers, Robocop suit makes you as strong as Ironman, Bulk Breakfast Burritos and much more… – The Blogs at HowStuffWorks Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:56:35 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=3105#comment-5158 [...] Blogging, Tic Tac Toe and the Future of Math – “Now until a few months ago, the only known proof of the density Hales Jewett theorem was extremely difficult. But Tim Gowers, a Fields-Medal winning Cambridge mathematician, thought there ought to be an easier proof. So he did what everyone with an opinion about anything does nowadays; he posted his opinion on his blog. He also did what no mathematician had ever done before, and invited the entire world to collaborate with him in proving his opinion correct. Following an initial post asking “Is Massively Collaborative Mathematics Possible?”, he posted a description of the problem and invited his readers to have at it in comments…” [...] [...] Blogging, Tic Tac Toe and the Future of Math – “Now until a few months ago, the only known proof of the density Hales Jewett theorem was extremely difficult. But Tim Gowers, a Fields-Medal winning Cambridge mathematician, thought there ought to be an easier proof. So he did what everyone with an opinion about anything does nowadays; he posted his opinion on his blog. He also did what no mathematician had ever done before, and invited the entire world to collaborate with him in proving his opinion correct. Following an initial post asking “Is Massively Collaborative Mathematics Possible?”, he posted a description of the problem and invited his readers to have at it in comments…” [...]

]]> By: Steve Landsburg http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/comment-page-1/#comment-5152 Steve Landsburg Sun, 11 Apr 2010 13:00:01 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=3105#comment-5152 Neil: Your example illustrates the impossibility of attributing credit accurately by appending names. If I were going to rename Fermat's Last Theorem, I'd call it the Frey-Ribet Theorem, not WIles's. "Wiles's Theorem" should refer to (what was) an important special case of the Taniyama-Shimura Conjecture (or the Taniyama-Shimura-Weil Conjecture?). But of course this no longer needs a name, since it is subsumed by the Breuil-Conrad-Diamond-Taylor Theorem. Neil: Your example illustrates the impossibility of attributing credit accurately by appending names. If I were going to rename Fermat’s Last Theorem, I’d call it the Frey-Ribet Theorem, not WIles’s. “Wiles’s Theorem” should refer to (what was) an important special case of the Taniyama-Shimura Conjecture (or the Taniyama-Shimura-Weil Conjecture?). But of course this no longer needs a name, since it is subsumed by the Breuil-Conrad-Diamond-Taylor Theorem.

]]> By: ircpresident's Bookmarks on Delicious http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/comment-page-1/#comment-5147 ircpresident's Bookmarks on Delicious Sun, 11 Apr 2010 07:28:57 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=3105#comment-5147 [...] Blogging, Tic Tac Toe and the Future of Math at Steven Landsburg | The Big Questions: Tackling the P... SAVE [...] [...] Blogging, Tic Tac Toe and the Future of Math at Steven Landsburg | The Big Questions: Tackling the P… SAVE [...]

]]> By: Neil http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/comment-page-1/#comment-5144 Neil Sun, 11 Apr 2010 04:27:37 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=3105#comment-5144 How are the theorems named? Is it still Fermat's last theorem, or is it Wiles' theorem now? How are the theorems named? Is it still Fermat’s last theorem, or is it Wiles’ theorem now?

]]> By: Slartibartfast http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/comment-page-1/#comment-5139 Slartibartfast Sat, 10 Apr 2010 21:46:57 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=3105#comment-5139 Nick, As someone with a PhD in mathematics, I find it much easier to remember the Pythagorean Theorm, l’Hôpital's Rule, and Chebyshev polynominals than geometry theorem #12, calculus rule #42, and polynomial class #536. Additionally, eponymous naming provides hooks to students interested in learning more about how all of these concepts arose in history - and anything that discourages curious students is an unacceptable cost in my book. Also, I'm don't think that the informational efficiency of language is improved by removing the hooks that help place these theorems into their proper context. I proved a (minor) theorem for my dissertation and if I ever get around to publishing it, it's at least going to be called 'Kesseler's Lemma'! Nick,

As someone with a PhD in mathematics, I find it much easier to remember the Pythagorean Theorm, l’Hôpital’s Rule, and Chebyshev polynominals than geometry theorem #12, calculus rule #42, and polynomial class #536. Additionally, eponymous naming provides hooks to students interested in learning more about how all of these concepts arose in history – and anything that discourages curious students is an unacceptable cost in my book. Also, I’m don’t think that the informational efficiency of language is improved by removing the hooks that help place these theorems into their proper context. I proved a (minor) theorem for my dissertation and if I ever get around to publishing it, it’s at least going to be called ‘Kesseler’s Lemma’!

]]> By: Ragu http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/comment-page-1/#comment-5138 Ragu Sat, 10 Apr 2010 21:06:40 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=3105#comment-5138 Opensource mathematics! What an idea. Present the problem and have members collaboratively work on the project. Opensource mathematics! What an idea.
Present the problem and have members collaboratively
work on the project.

]]> By: Nick http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/comment-page-1/#comment-5137 Nick Sat, 10 Apr 2010 19:42:44 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=3105#comment-5137 Indeed, the disutility caused by the risk of plagiarism, misattribution, and otherwise arbitrary naming conventions imposed on forgotten collaborators provides another case against attaching names to concepts. Who likes to see one's rival take credit for a stolen idea, particularly if that idea was the product of one's own life's work? The only defense against this outcome is keeping research close to the chest, which is the antithesis of collaboration. Indeed, the disutility caused by the risk of plagiarism, misattribution, and otherwise arbitrary naming conventions imposed on forgotten collaborators provides another case against attaching names to concepts. Who likes to see one’s rival take credit for a stolen idea, particularly if that idea was the product of one’s own life’s work? The only defense against this outcome is keeping research close to the chest, which is the antithesis of collaboration.

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