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The Math Gene

How Mathematical Thinking Evolved and Why Numbers Are Like Gossip

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If people are endowed with a "number instinct" similar to the "language instinct"—as recent research suggests—then why can't everyone do math? In The Math Gene, mathematician and popular writer Keith Devlin attacks both sides of this question.Devlin offers a breathtakingly new theory of language development that describes how language evolved in two stages and how its main purpose was not communication. Devlin goes on to show that the ability to think mathematically arose out of the same symbol-manipulating ability that was so crucial to the very first emergence of true language.Why, then, can't we do math as well as we speak? The answer, says Devlin, is that we can and do—we just don't recognize when we're using mathematical reasoning.

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The Math Gene, Keith J. Devlin

Langue
Année de publication
2000
Reliure
(rigide)
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Titre
The Math Gene
Sous-titre
How Mathematical Thinking Evolved and Why Numbers Are Like Gossip
Langue
Anglais
Éditeur
Basic Books
Publié
2000
Format
rigide
Pages
352
ISBN10
0465016189
ISBN13
9780465016181
Séries
Description
If people are endowed with a "number instinct" similar to the "language instinct"—as recent research suggests—then why can't everyone do math? In The Math Gene, mathematician and popular writer Keith Devlin attacks both sides of this question.Devlin offers a breathtakingly new theory of language development that describes how language evolved in two stages and how its main purpose was not communication. Devlin goes on to show that the ability to think mathematically arose out of the same symbol-manipulating ability that was so crucial to the very first emergence of true language.Why, then, can't we do math as well as we speak? The answer, says Devlin, is that we can and do—we just don't recognize when we're using mathematical reasoning.