Discussion Overview
The thread discusses the passing of Benoit Mandelbrot, a significant figure in mathematics known for his work in fractal geometry. Participants reflect on his contributions, share personal anecdotes related to his work, and express their condolences.
Discussion Character
- Meta-discussion
- Historical
Main Points Raised
- Some participants express sadness over Mandelbrot's passing and acknowledge his influence in mathematics.
- Others highlight his contributions to market pricing and finance, noting the significance of his writings in those areas.
- Several participants share personal experiences related to creating visual representations of the Mandelbrot set, recalling it as one of their first computer-generated drawings.
- A humorous comment suggests that Mandelbrot will be buried in a coffin shaped like the Mandelbrot set, with pending estimates for its completion.
- Links to his works and related media are shared, including a reference to "The Black Swan" and a YouTube video.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally express agreement on the sadness of Mandelbrot's passing and his impact on mathematics, though there are varying personal reflections and anecdotes shared without any formal consensus on specific aspects of his work.
Contextual Notes
Some posts reference personal experiences with the Mandelbrot set and its generation on older computer systems, indicating a nostalgia for early computational graphics.