Mathematics, Intuition, And Curiosity – David Bessis Information Theory podcast

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Mathematics, Intuition, and Curiosity – David Bessis

4d ago 1:27:49

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David Bessis is a mathematician and the author of Mathematica: A Secret World of Intuition and Curiosity.

In this conversation, we explore David's provocative claim that mathematical ability is not genetically determined — and what that means for how we teach, learn, and think about intelligence itself.

David explains why math books aren't meant to be read, why conference talks often aren't meant to be understood, and how fear is the number one inhibitor of mathematical progress at every level — from primary school to research departments. He introduces the concept of "secret math": the oral tradition of metacognitive tricks and intuitions passed between mathematicians but rarely written down or taught explicitly.

We discuss Bill Thurston's extraordinary visualization abilities (developed through childhood exercises to compensate for a vision impairment), Terence Tao's superhuman mathematical speed, and David's own trajectory — from failing his first PhD to experiencing weeks of what he calls "hyperlucidity," where decades of mathematical progress compressed into days.

David shares practical insights on how he's teaching his own children, what schools get wrong about math education, and the three specific changes he'd make to how mathematics is taught. Throughout, he challenges the assumption that extreme talent gaps must have genetic explanations, arguing instead that idiosyncratic cognitive development and self-reinforcing feedback loops create the massive inequalities we observe.

5 episodes

#Science #Information Theory