Comments on: Math for adults: the subtle wonder of numbers and Sesame Street http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:45:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: dculberson http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702979 dculberson Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702979 The Cat is my favorite character. "Time to do somethin' secret!" The Cat is my favorite character.

“Time to do somethin’ secret!”

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702727 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702727 radiolab has a great show on numbers: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2009/10/09 radiolab has a great show on numbers:

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2009/10/09

]]> By: IamInnocent http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702752 IamInnocent Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702752 "Six <i>fish</i>" they say? Wouldn't that be "six <i>fishes</i>? Well, I do not know-o... “Six fish” they say? Wouldn’t that be “six fishes? Well, I do not know-o…

]]> By: Marchhare http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702790 Marchhare Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702790 Many philosopher think for reasons similar to those you articulated that numbers don't exist in our minds and are mind-independent in the way that stars are. See, e.g. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/platonism-mathematics/ Many philosopher think for reasons similar to those you articulated that numbers don’t exist in our minds and are mind-independent in the way that stars are. See, e.g.

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/platonism-mathematics/

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702833 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702833 @Marchhare: He comes across very much a realist: "Viewed in this light, numbers start to seem a bit mysterious. They apparently exist in some sort of Platonic realm, a level above reality". A lot of mathematicians are constructivist/idealists, and consider mathematical entities to be ideas (mental constructions) that exist only in our heads. (We communicate things about them in language, which is why we share the same notions.) Oh yeah, a lot of the mathematics behind computer science is constructivist: Curry-Howard correspondence between proofs and computer programs, constructive set theory/dependent type theory, etc. @Marchhare: He comes across very much a realist: “Viewed in this light, numbers start to seem a bit mysterious. They apparently exist in some sort of Platonic realm, a level above reality”.

A lot of mathematicians are constructivist/idealists, and consider mathematical entities to be ideas (mental constructions) that exist only in our heads. (We communicate things about them in language, which is why we share the same notions.)

Oh yeah, a lot of the mathematics behind computer science is constructivist: Curry-Howard correspondence between proofs and computer programs, constructive set theory/dependent type theory, etc.

]]> By: Cheqyr http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702845 Cheqyr Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702845 No no no. Red Dwarf already proved that saying "fish" six times is superior because it's much funnier... Dispensing Machine: Hello. How can I help you? Cat: Fish! Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today's fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal. Cat: Fish! Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today's fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal. Cat: Fish! Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today's fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal. Cat: Fish! Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today's fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal. Cat: Fish! Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today's fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal. Cat: Fish! Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today's fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal. Cat: I will. No no no. Red Dwarf already proved that saying “fish” six times is superior because it’s much funnier…

Dispensing Machine: Hello. How can I help you?
Cat: Fish!
Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today’s fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal.
Cat: Fish!
Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today’s fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal.
Cat: Fish!
Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today’s fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal.
Cat: Fish!
Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today’s fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal.
Cat: Fish!
Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today’s fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal.
Cat: Fish!
Dispensing Machine: (spits out a fish) Today’s fish is Trout a la Creme, enjoy your meal.
Cat: I will.

]]> By: Pipenta http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702872 Pipenta Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702872 It is six fish, if they are all the same species. If, however, the penguins had a mixed order, say five herring and a cod, then it would be fishes. As the birds didn't specify, it could be either or. Then again, they might have been ordering from the room service menu, which we haven't seen. So perhaps they know that the only fish the hotel kitchen stocks is trout, exotic fare for a penguin! That's one kind of fish, so the plural is simply "fish". It is six fish, if they are all the same species. If, however, the penguins had a mixed order, say five herring and a cod, then it would be fishes. As the birds didn’t specify, it could be either or. Then again, they might have been ordering from the room service menu, which we haven’t seen. So perhaps they know that the only fish the hotel kitchen stocks is trout, exotic fare for a penguin! That’s one kind of fish, so the plural is simply “fish”.

]]> By: PaulR http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702873 PaulR Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702873 I used to have two cats. I called them for their afternoon treats by using the exact same "Fish!" that Cat did. They even asked for it by name. No, it wasn't trout à la crème, nor was it served in a styrofoam box. But they did get six pieces. I used to have two cats. I called them for their afternoon treats by using the exact same “Fish!” that Cat did. They even asked for it by name.

No, it wasn’t trout à la crème, nor was it served in a styrofoam box. But they did get six pieces.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-704168 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-704168 ha funny I literally have a test on the Peano Axioms in 2hrs... coming to boingboing for a little distraction and I see this. ha funny I literally have a test on the Peano Axioms in 2hrs… coming to boingboing for a little distraction and I see this.

]]> By: sfazzios http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-703182 sfazzios Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-703182 Unfortunately, the clip ends just before the scene where Ernie justifies his fish counting system using the Peano axioms. Unfortunately, the clip ends just before the scene where Ernie justifies his fish counting system using the Peano axioms.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702938 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702938 My wife and I have been renting the original Sesame Street episodes on DVD for our toddler, and I am happily astonished at how awesome that show really is. I grew up with it in the 70's and 80's, but had forgotten just how clever, funny, positive and educational that show really is. Highly recommended, you adults will enjoy it as much as your kids. My wife and I have been renting the original Sesame Street episodes on DVD for our toddler, and I am happily astonished at how awesome that show really is. I grew up with it in the 70′s and 80′s, but had forgotten just how clever, funny, positive and educational that show really is. Highly recommended, you adults will enjoy it as much as your kids.

]]> By: yupgiboy http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702704 yupgiboy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702704 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm9p4v_xJYk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm9p4v_xJYk

]]> By: yupgiboy http://boingboing.net/2010/02/01/math-for-adults-the.html#comment-702709 yupgiboy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-702709 The better, longer version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRLuayBSpiA The better, longer version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRLuayBSpiA

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