August 19, 2005
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Mathematics and Narrative
continued“There is a pleasantly discursive treatment of Pontius Pilate’s unanswered question ‘What is truth?’”
–
H. S. M. Coxeter, 1987, introduction to Richard J. Trudeau’s remarks on
the “Story Theory” of truth as opposed to the “Diamond Theory” of
truth ” in The Non-Euclidean Revolution“I had an epiphany: I thought ‘Oh my God, this is
it! People are talking about elliptic curves and of course they
think they are talking mathematics. But are they really? Or are
they talking about stories?’”– An organizer of last month’s “Mathematics and Narrative” conference
“A new epistemology is
emerging to replace the Diamond Theory of truth. I will call it the
‘Story Theory’ of truth: There are no diamonds. People make up stories
about what they experience. Stories that catch on are called ‘true.’
The Story Theory of truth is itself a story that is catching on. It is
being told and retold, with increasing frequency, by thinkers of many
stripes*….”– Richard J. Trudeau in The Non-Euclidean Revolution
“‘Deniers’ of truth…
insist that each of us is trapped in his own point of view; we make up
stories about the world and, in an exercise of power, try to impose
them on others.”– Jim Holt in this week’s New Yorker magazine. Click on the box below.
* Many stripes –
“What disciplines were represented at the meeting?”
“Apart from historians, you mean? Oh, many: writers, artists,
philosophers, semioticians, cognitive psychologists – you
name it.”– An organizer of last month’s “Mathematics and Narrative” conference
