Philip J. Davis

As readers of Thomas Gray, Philosopher Cat know, Cambridge don Lucas Fysst's feline friend, Thomas Gray, is no ordinary pet. It's not every cat that helps solve a centuries-old math problem with a flick of her tail. In this delightful sequel, Thomas Gray and Fysst set out to resolve a mystery of a different kind. On their way to Denmark to attend a philosopher's convention, Fysst becomes intrigued by a rather troubling rumor: that Hans Christian Andersen, who immortalized so many animals in his fables, was in fact an unrepentant cat-hater! In Copenhagen, they go on the hunt for a missing Andersen manuscript that will hopefully put this nasty gossip to rest once and for all. As with the original, Philip J. Davis's new Thomas Gray tale is whimsically written and cleverly illustrated. It is part history, part parody, and all fun, sure to gain this philosophical feline and her friend Fysst new legions of fans.

The Companion Guide to The Mathematical Experience, Study Edition has been created as a teaching tool, not only for the teacher and the student, but also for those students who are potential teachers. Its major purpose is to enhance the value of The Mathematical Experience, Study Edition as a textbook for teachers and to provide content and method for prospective teachers. Thus, unlike instructional guides that are available to the adopting teacher only, this Companion is available to the student or the teacher who wants independently to develop further skills in teaching mathematics. An additional value is that it provides suggested topics to explore that are not in the text but that coordinate beautifully to the text. The inclusion of these topics makes The Companion Guide a flexible teaching tool, adaptable to a variety of courses and useable with many individual selections of other course materials. The Companion Guide is rich in suggestions for classroom discussion topics. Each is linked to a chapter of the textbook and to the central idea of learning how to think, talk, and write ABOUT mathematics while learning how to DO mathematics. It provides insights into the subtleties of mathematical concepts and warns of pitfalls where ambiguity and misunderstanding often arise. It is a wealth of experience with ideas that WORK, gained through live classroom interaction by the authors and shared in this book with the reader.

A selection of 10 literary critical essays by Omar Tarin

Discusses the impact that mathematics and computers have on our intellectual and emotional lives.

The Mathematical Experience by Philip J. Davis and Reuben Hersh is a book that explores the culture, history, and philosophy of mathematics. It delves into the human side of the subject, discussing how mathematicians think and work, the nature of mathematical truth, and the beauty and creativity inherent in the field. It is a classic work that won a National Book Award.

This book is a mathematical potpourri. Its material originated in classroom presentations, formal lectures, sections of earlier books, book reviews, or just things written by the author for his own pleasure. Written in a nontechnical fashion, this book expresses the unique vision and attitude of the author towards the role of mathematics in society. It contains observations or incidental remarks on mathematics, its nature, its impacts on education and science and technology, its personalities and philosophies. The book is directed towards the math buffs of the world and, more generally, towards the literate and interested public. --

"This collection of stories, highlighting the lives of important but sometimes lesser known personalities in the history of science are based on conversations and correspondence of the author with the renowned historian David Pingree. Often the author supplements the information with extensive quotes and additional information. His observations shed light on the academic culture and tradition of curiosity, the driving force of research and the congenial atmosphere in academic research that sometimes seems like a thing of the past. The personal touch and wealth of information stimulates readers to explore the unusual with the guidance of authority"--