Is a book I just found in the library. It caught my eye because the forward is by Isaac Asimov the most prolific writer ever.
It is starting out in Egypt, and how they developed geometry. He discusses two major theories of why they developed geometry:
1) because they needed it to determine where everyones land was after the annual flooding of the Nile
2) because the priests had leisure time to think about such concepts.
To my mind it has to be both. There has to be a need defined, how much land was redeposited and who owns and what recompense needs to be made to those who lost land and what extra taxes need to assessed to those now with more land.
There also needs to be time to think about and develop the rules to solve the problem and do it right each time.
The pursuit of math for maths sake or anything for that matter has been a conceit of the modern world. Most people like to solve problems not just create castles in the air just because it is interesting, but because it put food on the table.
I'll be commenting on this book from time to time. It does look interesting.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Thursday, April 5, 2007
What Schools are skipping on the way to better grades
The Mrs. has quite a post on what the terrorist playbook is, the saddest thing is that we've encountered this playbook before.
The anarchists used the same plays to try to spark the revolution that ended up starting WWI and ended with the Bomb at WWII which begat the Cold War and the War on Terror. And all they really want is a major incident they can spin so they can gain personal power over more people. All we need to do is deny them that, and that is what we are doing, though most people are of the opinion things are going badly.
Sadly, history and most subjects really are being skipped to put more time into passing the test so the teachers will continue to get funded. This is no great surprise either, people will spend lots of time doing that which will maximize their return on investment. That's just basic economics but, economics is being skipped too.
The anarchists used the same plays to try to spark the revolution that ended up starting WWI and ended with the Bomb at WWII which begat the Cold War and the War on Terror. And all they really want is a major incident they can spin so they can gain personal power over more people. All we need to do is deny them that, and that is what we are doing, though most people are of the opinion things are going badly.
Sadly, history and most subjects really are being skipped to put more time into passing the test so the teachers will continue to get funded. This is no great surprise either, people will spend lots of time doing that which will maximize their return on investment. That's just basic economics but, economics is being skipped too.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Words
"Sticks and Stones
may break my bones,
But words will never hurt me."
This old refrain is something parents use to help comfort their children when someone says something bad about them. But it isn't true.
The truth is that words hurt far more and have a longer lasting effect then physical hurts ever will. Words are vastly powerful. Words are what Hitler used to stir up the German people, words are what Churchill used to rally the Brits against the Nazis.
Words have been used to lift people up and also to destroy them.
Words are so important that the Founding Fathers make the First Amendment about freedom of speech, yet we still have and need libel laws and you can't yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater.
Poets, politicians and copywriters spend long hours in wordcraft, because they know just how powerful words are. The poet seeks to elicit certain emotional responses, the politician to persuade us to vote for him and copywriters to buy his stuff. Bullies use words more then violence to get their way, because it is easier and more effective. Terrorist are even using words to make make it seem like what they are doing is justified.
Many people are clueless as to what power their words have, thinking that their actions and even volume level is enough. Having control of words is a more powerful tool then any other.
may break my bones,
But words will never hurt me."
This old refrain is something parents use to help comfort their children when someone says something bad about them. But it isn't true.
The truth is that words hurt far more and have a longer lasting effect then physical hurts ever will. Words are vastly powerful. Words are what Hitler used to stir up the German people, words are what Churchill used to rally the Brits against the Nazis.
Words have been used to lift people up and also to destroy them.
Words are so important that the Founding Fathers make the First Amendment about freedom of speech, yet we still have and need libel laws and you can't yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater.
Poets, politicians and copywriters spend long hours in wordcraft, because they know just how powerful words are. The poet seeks to elicit certain emotional responses, the politician to persuade us to vote for him and copywriters to buy his stuff. Bullies use words more then violence to get their way, because it is easier and more effective. Terrorist are even using words to make make it seem like what they are doing is justified.
Many people are clueless as to what power their words have, thinking that their actions and even volume level is enough. Having control of words is a more powerful tool then any other.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
How to Read a Scientific Research Paper--
How to Read a Scientific Research Paper--: "Reading research papers ('primary articles') is partly a matter of
experience and skill, and partly learning the specific vocabulary of a
field. First of all, DON'T PANIC! If you approach it step by step, even
an impossible-looking paper can be understood."
This much like the technique I have used for any kind of new material I have to read.
This is sensemaking really.
1. Skim the information to get a handle for keywords, jargon (look these up), referenced books and authors. This will take a few books and several articles.
2. Build a mental framework, try relating it to things you already know.
3. Find the experts in the field and get to know what they have written.
4. Keep a journal and record it all.
experience and skill, and partly learning the specific vocabulary of a
field. First of all, DON'T PANIC! If you approach it step by step, even
an impossible-looking paper can be understood."
This much like the technique I have used for any kind of new material I have to read.
This is sensemaking really.
1. Skim the information to get a handle for keywords, jargon (look these up), referenced books and authors. This will take a few books and several articles.
2. Build a mental framework, try relating it to things you already know.
3. Find the experts in the field and get to know what they have written.
4. Keep a journal and record it all.
Monday, April 2, 2007
April is Math Awareness Month
The American Mathematical Society, the American Statistical Association, the Mathematical Association of America, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics announce that the theme for Mathematics Awareness Month 2007 is Mathematics and the Brain.
http://www.mathaware.org/index.html
http://www.mathaware.org/index.html
Getting Started in Learning
We talked to my niece over the weekend and she is thinking about educating her boy, the schools where they are are just not very good.
Now, their son is only a year old so there is a little time to get something together but I have found some really good things online.
There are three places that I have found with great material for free.
Google Books: http://books.google.com/
Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/
Internet Archive Text Archive: http://www.archive.org/details/texts
They are chock full of all kinds of wonderful material, if you can find it.
Since these things are changing rather quickly it is best to search from time to time.
The search terms that have been most profitable to me have been:
• Primer
• Elementary
• Introductory
• Primary
You get whole books like a spelling primer from Noah Webster (the dictionary guy), the New England Primer for teaching reading, the McGuffey Primers for early reading, primary math books from Joseph Ray, and much more. Many of them are out of copyright and so you can download the whole book and use it any way you want.
Now, their son is only a year old so there is a little time to get something together but I have found some really good things online.
There are three places that I have found with great material for free.
Google Books: http://books.google.com/
Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/
Internet Archive Text Archive: http://www.archive.org/details/texts
They are chock full of all kinds of wonderful material, if you can find it.
Since these things are changing rather quickly it is best to search from time to time.
The search terms that have been most profitable to me have been:
• Primer
• Elementary
• Introductory
• Primary
You get whole books like a spelling primer from Noah Webster (the dictionary guy), the New England Primer for teaching reading, the McGuffey Primers for early reading, primary math books from Joseph Ray, and much more. Many of them are out of copyright and so you can download the whole book and use it any way you want.
Supporting Kathy Sierra
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