Two valuable, but neglected, sides of mathematics Mathematics, insofar as it is an asset to the human race, has two distinct sides.  It serves both as the Heartland of Truth (“pure” mathematics) and as the main Pathfinder for Progress (“applicable” mathematics). It would be more accurate, though, to say that […]

The question about mathematics which has baffled most commentators for a long time is the question of the meaning of mathematical statements.  Wittgenstein introduced the idea that the meaning of a statement was to be seen in its use and usage, but pure mathematics appears to have no obvious use […]

The overall theme of these articles on the Renewal of Mathematics is that the subject has been grossly over-mystified and its most important manifestation —mathematical modelling— has been grossly under-valued. Pythagoras —the first significant polymathematician*— founded  a Brotherhood of colleagues which has, in a sense, survived for more than 2,500 […]

Mathematics today is still, broadly speaking, dominated by a relatively small group of higher purist mathematicians. Although the Met Office says it employs 2,000 mathematicians, they are not being paid to do ‘mathematics for mathematics’ sake’, but rather to try to improve immensely complex existing algorithms aimed at more accurately […]