Tadashi Tokieda - January 24, 2023

7 PM ET "Pure Mathematics as Applied Physics"

Humans tend to be better at physics than at mathematics.  When an apple falls from a tree, there are more people who can catch it—they know physically how the apple moves—than people who can compute its trajectory from a differential equation.  Applying physical ideas to discover and explain mathematical results is therefore natural, even if it has seldom been tried in the history of science.  (The exceptions include Archimedes, some old Russian sources, a recent book of Levi’s, as well as my articles and lectures.)  A variety of elementary yet surprising examples will be presented.