Annual Lecture Series (in-person)
Lunchtime Talks (in-person)
Conferences (in-person)
Online-Only Events
- This event has passed.
LTT – David Waszek
October 24, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EDT
Title: From mathematical notations to the applications of mathematics: Studying epistemic accessibility
Abstract:
This talk is about mathematical notations, and more broadly about mathematical language. My goal is to present, and to argue for the fruitfulness of, a broadly speaking pragmatic approach to this topic—an approach that focuses on how notations shape what is epistemically accessible to practitioners (rather than, say, on the notations’ expressive power). First, I will motivate this line of investigation by arguing that it addresses questions that are raised, but left open, by recent discussions of the application of mathematics to empirical sciences. Second, I will present a case study of a historical episode of notational choice, in order to show how such an approach to notations can clarify discussions of ‘naturality’ in mathematical practice.
This talk will also be available live streamed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.
Details
- Date:
- October 24, 2023
- Time:
-
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EDT
- Event Categories:
- Lunchtime Talks, Lunchtime Talks 2023-24
Venue
- 1119 Cathedral of Learning
Organizer
- Center for Philosophy of Science
- Phone:
- 4126241050
- Email:
- pittcntr@pitt.edu
- View Organizer Website