Hawking's latest book and it's on mathematics

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SUMMARY

Stephen Hawking's latest book presents a curated collection of significant mathematical works, featuring 17 mathematicians, each accompanied by a brief biography and discussions of their contributions. The book emphasizes the importance of original works, making it a valuable resource for understanding key mathematical concepts. Notably, the discussion highlights the misattribution of the phrase "God created the integers, all else is the work of man" to mathematician Leopold Kronecker, who was a prominent figure in the debates with Georg Cantor. The conversation also touches on Einstein's philosophical musings regarding the nature of mathematics and the universe.

PREREQUISITES
  • Familiarity with mathematical history and key figures such as Leopold Kronecker and Georg Cantor.
  • Understanding of the significance of original mathematical works in the context of their contributions.
  • Knowledge of philosophical interpretations of mathematics, particularly those attributed to Einstein.
  • Basic comprehension of number theory concepts as discussed in mathematical literature.
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the biographies and contributions of the 17 mathematicians featured in Hawking's book.
  • Research the historical context of Kronecker's opposition to Cantor's theories.
  • Read David Burton's book on number theory for deeper insights into the mathematical expressions discussed.
  • Investigate Einstein's philosophical views on mathematics and their implications for modern physics.
USEFUL FOR

Mathematicians, educators, students of mathematics, and anyone interested in the intersection of mathematics and philosophy will benefit from this discussion.

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Hawking's got to stop stealing the God expressions from Einstein.
 
It's good as long as you know what you're buying. Each chapter includes a short biography of the mathematician (17 in total) followed by a brief discussion of their work and its significance. This is then followed by selections of the mathematician's original work, reproduced, which comprises a majority of the book. It is its own contained library of what Hawking believes to be the most significant works in math.
 
JasonRox said:
Hawking's got to stop stealing the God expressions from Einstein.
the expression "god created the integers, all else is the work of man" is kronecker's. he was one of cantor's leading anagonists.
 
fourier jr said:
the expression "god created the integers, all else is the work of man" is kronecker's. he was one of cantor's leading anagonists.
I've also seen another version in which he seems to have said that "God created the natural numbers...". I first came across this in a book on number theory by David Burton. Wikipedia seems to agree with you, though.:rolleyes:
 
einstein said "I want to know God's thoughts,... the rest is just details.." maybe that's what you're thinking of?
 
Einstein also said "God damn, I'm having a hard time unifying these forces."

*pure conjecture on my part. he may not have said that. but I bet he thought it.
 

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