Relearning my love for Math
So I signed up for a 5 week class on Mathematics at the School for Poetic Computation called Learning to Love Mathematics: History, Theory, Practice, Poetics. The course description:
In this workshop, participants will study both history of math -- including some connections to computing, ecology, politics, religion, and literature -- and practices of learning/using/creating math. Topics certain for at least brief discussion with everyone include a whirlwind survey of mathematics in a few pre-colonial societies and in the contemporary field, varieties of infinity, math education, logic, cultural and linguistic specificity of mathematics, category theory, and the physical realization of abstract computational models. Possible topics for discussion with everyone or in smaller groups according to participant interest include greater elaboration of the previously named topics, and other branches of mathematics or closely linked fields such as probability theory, programming language theory, computational complexity theory, information theory, music theory, graph/network theory, order theory, Ramsey theory, approximation theory, geometry, and fractals. There will be no assumption of mathematics knowledge more advanced than a vague recollection of middle/high school algebra, nor unrealistic expectations of building expertise in little more than a month's time; the intention for the short course is to build interest in and appreciation for a diverse and beautiful subject too often uglified by elitism, prejudice, and excessive rigidity.
I recently read Music by the Numbers: From Pythagoras to Schoenberg by Eli Maor. The book covers the way different researchers and mathematician have used Math and Music concepts interchangeably in their studies. Studying and applying different interdisciplinary concepts is sort of a cheat code in that way. You get to leverage huge mountains of existing research and stand on the shoulders of giants. Math is critical to my artistic practice and by revisiting concepts and strengthening this skill I will grow as an artist.
