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Conference rusure::math

Title:	Mathematics at DEC

Moderator:	RUSURE::EDP

Created:	Mon Feb 03 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2083
Total number of notes:	14613

1965.0. "What are the qualities needed to do mathematics?" by BATVX1::ESANU (Au temps pour moi) Wed Apr 12 1995 12:14

When I was studying mathematics at the University of Bucharest, a long time
ago, in 1977, Prof. Martin Jurchescu, a great specialist in complex
analysis, began his course with two questions. The first one was:

	What are the qualities needed to do mathematics?

And he answered: courage. Because when you read or find out, or think
about, a problem and set to solve it, you don't know whether you'll be able
to solve it.

For me this answer says also something about modesty and humility in doing
mathematics.

What do you think about this question? What would you answer? And why?

Mihai.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1965.1	late night musings	AUSSIE::GARSON	achtentachtig kacheltjes	`Wed Apr 12 1995 12:40`	10
	re .0 Good question. Good answer but I would answer something like "mathematical intuition" - an ability to home in on the right approach. Where does it come from? Perhaps the ability to see patterns, make analogies, see structure. Who knows? Courage and perseverance are certainly needed too. Are you going to tell us what your Prof's second question was?
1965.2	re .1: What are mathematics?	BATVX1::ESANU	Au temps pour moi	`Thu Apr 13 1995 12:39`	16
	The second question that Prof. Martin Jurchescu asked us was simply: what are mathematics? I am sorry today of having risen up and proudly answered giving Bourbaki's definition: mathematics are the study of structures, which are algebraic, topological and logical structures. Why am I sorry? Because that was an shut-up answer, relying on Bourbaki's scientific authority, and which closed up the discussion. Prof. Jurchescu might have wanted to arrive to this definition after a longer and more enriching discussion. On the other hand, Bourbaki's definition is certainly true, but it's kind of a tautology, as it relies on former mathematics knowledge. The question is, how would you explain what mathematics are to a kid, or an extraterrestrial (supposing that you can communicate with one without having a common mathematical basis). Mihai.