The Human Arbitrariness of Objects

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I think atoms themselves are still just human choices, right? So seeing things up into atoms seems like a choice we make because it's convenient for the human mind. But if you actually look at deeper reality, it's probably our best theory says something more like field. It's not even atoms. Atoms are maybe not the most basic thing. Yeah, that's very interesting. I suppose we're getting into the realm of the continuing word games that we just see these things around as we have to agree on the sort of name and properties of that name. We try and describe the physical world around us by matching it to things that our human mind and body and our embodiment can kind of

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How can we have System-2-type reflection but with System-1-type speed? How can math be considered to be a "fast" way of solving problems? Is math discovered or invented? How can we use math to think better in everyday life? How can math education be improved? Do mathematicians have a snobbish preference for "pure" maths over applied maths? How can math be used to tell stories?

Marcus du Sautoy is the Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. He is author of seven books including his most recent book, Thinking Better: the Art of the Shortcut. He has also published a play, I is a Strange Loop, which was performed at the Barbican in London in which he was also lead actor. He has presented numerous radio and TV series including a four-part landmark TV series for the BBC called The Story of Maths. He works extensively with a range of arts organisations bringing science alive for the public from The Royal Opera House to the Glastonbury Festival. He received an OBE for services to science in the 2010 New Year's Honours List and was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2016. Follow him on Twitter at @MarcusduSautoy or find out more about him at www.simonyi.ox.ac.uk.

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