A few thoughts on the aesthetics of mathematics in research and teaching
- Submitting institution
-
University of Derby
- Unit of assessment
- 23 - Education
- Output identifier
- 770102-1
- Type
- D - Journal article
- DOI
-
-
- Title of journal
- Palestine Journal of Mathematics
- Article number
- -
- First page
- 1
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- ISSN
- 2219-5688
- Open access status
- Compliant
- Month of publication
- -
- Year of publication
- 2018
- URL
-
https://pjm.ppu.edu/sites/default/files/papers/PJM_October_2017_1.pdf
- Supplementary information
-
-
- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- Yes
- Number of additional authors
-
0
- Research group(s)
-
-
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- Mathematical aesthetic, having a variety of forms, is commonly experienced by mathematicians as a genuine reality and is available at every level of study. This work attests to its authenticity through the words of some mathematical proponents, asserting that it should be promoted to children and students as a phenomenon that is part and parcel of the discipline of mathematics and central to the teaching and research of practising mathematicians.
The methodology
Quotes on mathematical aesthetic are, where appropriate, used in the text to support the author's lines of argument and enquiry - these are drawn from past and contemporary figures from mathematics and mathematical education who have discussed the ideas of so called 'value judgements' (depth, rarity, usefulness, stylishness, powerfulness, ingenuity, refinement, importance, beauty, simplicity, and so on) in the context of their own experiences and interpretations of aesthetic as professional mathematicians. The ways in which aesthetic may arise are discussed from the standpoints of research and education as different environments.
The research questions
The essay does not set a particular question to answer as such. Rather, it offers a personal philosophy of the notion of mathematical aesthetic which draws together the salient features of a phenomenon which is multi-layered and is able to be assessed both objectively and subjectively. In this respect the piece attempts to move beyond standardised hermeneutic critique by integrating evidence-based support for what are personal views of the various facets of mathematical aesthetic.
Dissemination
As an open access paper published in an international journal.
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -