The Language of Mathematics

"The great book of nature," said Galileo, "can be read only by those who know the language in which it was written. And this language is mathematics." In "The Language of Mathematics," award-winning author Keith Devlin reveals the vital role mathematics plays in our eternal quest to understand who we are and the world we live in. More than just the study of numbers, mathematics...

"The great book of nature," said Galileo, "can be read only by those who know the language in which it was written. And this language is mathematics." In "The Language of Mathematics," award-winning author Keith Devlin reveals the vital role mathematics plays in our eternal quest to understand who we are and the world we live in. More than just the study of numbers, mathematics provides us with the eyes to recognize and describe the hidden patterns of life--patterns that exist in the physical, biological, and social worlds without, and the realm of ideas and thoughts within. Taking the reader on a wondrous journey through the invisible universe that surrounds us--a universe made visible by mathematics--Devlin shows us what keeps a jumbo jet in the air, explains how we can see and hear a football game on TV, allows us to predict the weather, the behavior of the stock market, and the outcome of elections. Microwave ovens, telephone cables, children's toys, pacemakers, automobiles, and computers--all operate on mathematical principles. Far from a dry and esoteric subject, mathematics is a rich and living part of our culture. An exploration of an often woefully misunderstood subject, "The Language of Mathematics" celebrates the simplicity, the precision, the purity, and the elegance of mathematics.

齐斯·德福林（Keith Devlin），2004国际毕达哥拉斯奖（International Pythagoras Prize）、2007卡尔·沙根科普奖（Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popluarization）得主，斯坦福大学人文科学与先端科技研究中心（H-STAR）共同创办人及资深研究员，同时也是该校 Media X 研究计划的创立人之一。人称 Math Guy 的德福林教授研究领域广泛，包括数学认知、推理模式与信息理论等，并钻研以不同媒介传授数学予多元大众，致力推广“软数学的”观念。已出版著作近三十本，发表论文逾八十篇。目前居于加州帕洛阿尔托市（PaloAlto）。