Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

216 | John Allen Paulos on Numbers, Narratives, and Numeracy

Oct 31, 2022

John Allen Paulos, a best-selling author and professor of mathematics at Temple University, discusses our complex relationship with math. He emphasizes the importance of numeracy in everyday life, exploring how storytelling can make mathematics more relatable. Topics include common misconceptions about probability, the Monty Hall paradox, and the vital role of mathematical literacy for informed citizenship. Paulos advocates for a curriculum that effectively teaches critical components like statistics and logical reasoning, aiming to demystify math for all.

01:10:34

Episode guests

John Allen Paulos

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Is There a Radical Revision of the Secondary School Math Curriculum?

02:03

The Second Law of Thermodynamics

01:45

Do We Really Need Infinite Arithmetic?

02:00

Intro

4min

Understanding Numeracy and Innumeracy

4min

Unpacking Probability Misunderstandings

4min

Understanding the Monty Hall Paradox

11min

The Harmony of Math and Narrative

6min

Rethinking Mathematical Literacy

14min

Demystifying Mathematics in Physics

16min

The Intricacies of Human Cognition and Mathematics

2min

Order from Chaos: Exploring Ramsey Theory

8min

People have a complicated relationship to mathematics. We all use it in our everyday lives, from calculating a tip at a restaurant to estimating the probability of some future event. But many people find the subject intimidating, if not off-putting. John Allen Paulos has long been working to make mathematics more approachable and encourage people to become more numerate. We talk about how people think about math, what kinds of math they should know, and the role of stories and narrative to make math come alive.

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John Allen Paulos received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He is currently a professor of mathematics at Temple University. He s a bestselling author, and frequent contributor to publications such as ABCNews.com, the Guardian, and Scientific American. Among his awards are the Science Communication award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Mathematics Communication Award from the Joint Policy Board of Mathematics. His new book is Who’s Counting? Uniting Numbers and Narratives with Stories from Pop Culture, Puzzles, Politics, and More.

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