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/lit/ - Literature

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1318700 No.1318700 [Reply] [Original]

Hello!

I'm looking for an introduction to the big ideas of mathematics. I want the ideas of Russell and Godel but I want them second hand and approachable.

I'm also looking for a more general introduction into the actual process of mathematics. I want to be able to weave and interweave equations.

In both cases, the less prior knowledge assumed the better.
Thanks!

>> No.1318706
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1318706

go to /sci/

>> No.1318709

Does God play dice?
Godel, Escher, Bach
History of Mathematics
How to Lie with Statistics

>> No.1318718

If you're going to read Hoftstadter don't go straight to "Godel, Escher, Bach" (If you read it at all). Read "I Am a Strange Loop". It's much shorter, easier, and there is plenty in there about Godel and Russel.

>> No.1318720

>>1318709
Second one:
>I want to be able to weave and interweave equations.
That's not exactly what modern maths is about. But you can get all kinds of textbooks for ll kinds of fields. I'd recommend an Introduction to graph theory, since that gives a jumping off point for so much else and is pretty short and well written.

>> No.1318722

>>1318706
People here are more helpful, though I've posted there too.

Thanks for the suggestions. I know it's probably quite a bad idea but I'm looking for books which are quite all-encompassing.
I'm the kind of person who'd much rather work it out from basics than remember rules and apply them, if that helps.

The chaos maths book looks interesting, though.

>> No.1318730

>>1318720
I know it's probably sage advice, but I don't want to go into any specific topics. I'm more looking for the fundamentals which I can apply to topics when required.

>> No.1318732

>>1318722
http://www.amazon.com/History-Mathematics-Second-Carl-Boyer/dp/0471543977

That's the history of mathematics I own, and I can vouch that it's good, and covers the major areas of thought/development up to the 20th Century.

http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Graph-Theory-Advanced-Mathematics/dp/0486678709/ref=sr_1_2?s=book
s&ie=UTF8&qid=1290992731&sr=1-2

And this introduction to graph theory. Graph theory/Topology/Game Theory all go hand in hand, so it's decent.

>> No.1318741

>>1318730
Trudeau also gives you a good introduction to mathematical thought as it stands, and how proofs can be thought up. A lot of the stuff is applicable to large areas of maths.

The only other similar book I can think of is The World According to Wavelets by Hubbard; wavelets are, in a sense, a sister function to the Fourier transform. Both those books will give a fairly nice intro to two large areas in modern math.

>> No.1318768

>>1318732
>>1318741
Alright thanks. I'm going for them both then :).
Now got 5 maths related books so I think I'm set.

Thankyou all.