Written on December 15th, 2009 by Oliver Kim
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In this post I’m pondering on the relationship between math and beauty. Can math be beautiful as well? And what is beauty in the first place?
I recently read an article about the mathematics of beauty. Researchers found out that beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, and that beauty can indeed be quantified. If you want to read the article, here is a link.
Now, if it is possible to describe what beauty is using mathematical formulas, maybe it is also possible to look at the issue the other way around. Can math itself be considered beautiful or ugly? I did find an answer to this question by the English mathematician G. H. Hardy (1877-1947):
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Written on July 9th, 2008 by Oliver Kim
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Some prescribed TOK essay titles may require you to find a knowledge issue or a problem of knowledge which relates to the title. Sometimes there are several hidden issues. How can you find them? This edition should motivate you to play with ideas to find a possible hidden knowledge issue.
The identification of a problem of knowledge in the prescribed TOK essay title is probably one of the most important first steps. But it may also be one of the most difficult tasks. What is the problem of knowledge that is implied in the title? How can one identify it? It may not always be necessary to identify an implied problem of knowledge in the prescribed title, but it may be helpful in structuring the essay.
“[Mathematics] is a creative art because mathematicians create beautiful new concepts; it is a creative art because mathematicians live, act, and think like artists; and it is a creative art because mathematicians regard it so” (Paul Richard Halmos)
– To what extent can this view of art, beauty and creativity be applied to other areas of knowledge? Continue reading »
