The Mind, Mathematics and Sustainable Development

This post is about the talk I gave on the International Day of Mathematics, March 14, 2023.

Abstract: 

In this talk we will first reflect on how mathematics emerges from the ability of the mind to "zoom in" on the logical structure of the universe. Guided by this point of view, we will engage in a discussion about challenges in teaching and learning mathematics and the prospects for the bigger role that mathematics could play towards sustainable development.

About the speaker: 

Zurab Janelidze is a professor of mathematics at Stellenbosch University. He is an associate of NITheCS and a principal investigator in one of the research programmes at NITheCS. He serves on the editorial boards of two international journals in his field of expertise, category theory, and serves as the president of the South African Mathematical Society. He is passionate about discovering and teaching mathematics, as well as looking for mathematical structures in other art forms. 

Slides:

https://www.canva.com/design/DAFdE5a7a6c/tGcDnt9yF9KCYa7UFvanhw/view?utm_content=DAFdE5a7a6c&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink

The talk:

Feel free to leave your comments below. By the way, one "real-life" application of the abstract theorem from Example 2 is that it gives a proof why 2 to the power n is always strictly greater than n, for any natural number n. Let me know if you do not see how.

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