Posts in the Making

1. A full-blown story of Circularity OR how Birds master Mathematics

2. Another full-blown story about the impact of Whimpey Kids and Geronimo Stilton. I have loads of stories to tell. 

"AI Decoded" Public Lecture Attended

Yesterday, I took part at the public lecture on the science of AI and its future. Listening to AI experts from Bangladesh who had trodden the world of AI and industry giants was an eye-opening session for me. Although I did not receive any Quiz-prize, I now have a renewed interest in AI and its vast and oceanic application in each and every field that one can conceive of. I am on the second row wearing a white mask!

Zaara’s Week of Mathematics: A Journey Through Great Minds and Big Ideas

This week, Zaara will be exploring a rich and fascinating collection of mathematics-related books that span centuries of intellectual thought and discovery. 

She begins with The Mathematical Century by Piergiorgio Odifreddi, originally written in Italian in 1950 and reissued in 2010. This essential text surveys some of the most significant mathematical problems of the past hundred years, offering readers a thoughtful narrative of 20th-century mathematical developments.

Next on her list is the classic Men of Mathematics by E.T. Bell. A staple in the history of mathematics, this book introduces the towering figures who shaped the field over the past five hundred years and beyond—from medieval breakthroughs to the dawn of modern theory.

Also included is a brief but thought-provoking section—just six or seven pages—from The Loss of Certainty. Though short, this excerpt raises important philosophical questions about the foundations of mathematics, making it a compelling companion to the other readings.

Zaara will also delve into Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, a profound and intricate work that intertwines mathematics, art, and music. Centered on Kurt Gödel’s incompleteness theorems, the book has inspired generations of thinkers, and is accompanied in this session by an essay declaring it “the most influential book of my life.”

Finally, she’ll explore Love and Mathematics, a New York Times bestseller that beautifully connects abstract mathematics with the wonder of human creativity. The e-book edition is made available for our students.

Together, these texts offer a vibrant mosaic of mathematical thought—ideal for those ready to think deeply, question boldly, and fall in love with the logic of the universe.

A Note on Gödel's "Incompleteness Theorem" and Morris Kline's "Loss of Certainty"

Aspect	Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem	The Loss of Certainty by Morris Kline
Focus	A formal mathematical theorem about logical systems.	A historical-philosophical survey of changing views on mathematics.
Core Idea	In any sufficiently complex axiomatic system (like arithmetic), there are statements that are true but cannot be proven within the system.	Over centuries, the belief in absolute mathematical truth has eroded due to internal contradictions, new geometries, Gödel’s work, and practical uncertainties.
Discipline	Mathematical logic	History and philosophy of mathematics
Tone	Technical, formal, precise	Narrative, critical, broad