Vladimir_Nesov comments on Is Scott Alexander bad at math? - Less Wrong

31 Post author: JonahSinick 04 May 2015 05:11AM

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Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 05 May 2015 10:36:54AM 4 points [-]

I would recommend trying these books (at high school level or earlier, depending on when it becomes possible to follow them):

  • H. Rademacher & O. Toeplitz (1967). The Enjoyment of Math.
  • J. R. Weeks (2001). The Shape of Space.
  • R. Courant & H. Robbins (1996). What Is Mathematics?
Comment author: Gondolinian 03 June 2015 02:22:49PM *  1 point [-]

What Is Mathematics? was the only one I was able to find from a local library. I've put a request in for it and I should be getting it soon. Thanks for the recommendation; if it helps me to not hate math then I might be able to do something actually useful for existential risk reduction.

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 03 June 2015 07:45:20PM 1 point [-]

These are available on Library Genesis.

Also, "What is Mathematics?" is more serious than the other two. "The Shape of Space" is probably the easiest and most fun, and "The Enjoyment of Math" is a collection of almost completely independent small pieces that don't assume any background, but some of them are a bit involved for something that doesn't assume any background.

Comment author: IlyaShpitser 05 May 2015 10:40:05PM 1 point [-]

Thanks, these are great!

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