Hawking's latest book and it's on mathematics

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around Stephen Hawking's latest book on mathematics, focusing on its content, structure, and the philosophical implications of certain expressions attributed to mathematicians and physicists. Participants explore the book's format, which includes biographies and original works of mathematicians, and engage in a debate about the use of "God" expressions in mathematical contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants mention the structure of Hawking's book, noting it contains biographies of mathematicians along with discussions of their work and original writings.
  • There is a contention regarding the use of "God" expressions, with one participant suggesting that Hawking is borrowing from Einstein's phrasing.
  • Another participant points out that the expression "God created the integers, all else is the work of man" is attributed to Kronecker, highlighting a historical context of mathematical debates.
  • Participants discuss variations of the "God" expression, with references to different versions and their sources, including a book on number theory by David Burton.
  • One participant humorously speculates about Einstein's thoughts on unifying forces, indicating a playful engagement with the topic.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the appropriateness of using "God" expressions in mathematics, with some agreeing on the historical attribution while others contest the implications of such expressions. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the broader philosophical interpretations.

Contextual Notes

There are references to multiple interpretations of historical quotes and expressions, which may depend on specific contexts or definitions. The discussion does not resolve these ambiguities.

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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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