Is maths better than sex?
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Is maths better than sex?
This French mathematician likens the thrill of finding new maths problems to that of having multiple affairs
PICTURE COURTESY OF CEDRIC VILLANI
REPORT: JENNIFER DHANARAJ
Is maths sexy? This celebrated French mathematician thinks so.
Mr Cedric Villani has even likened the discovery of new matbs problelll$ to having multiple love affairs - from the initial thrill to the joy of understanding, before familiarity and boredom sets in.
Then it's time "for another mathematical romance".
Mr Villani, 39, has gained international acclaim for making mathematical thinking "cool".
In 2010, he won the Fields Medal, which is often called the Nobel Prize for mathematics.
Awarded every four years, it recognises the outstanding work of mathematicians under the age of 40.
"My inspiration comes from the world around us and it is full of problems waiting to be solved," he tells The New Paper on Sunday.
Winning the Fields Medal has made him a spokesman for mathematics, and has seen him travel to over 30 countries to give talks.
Mr Villani is a showman in the world of mathematical thinking, and his talks see him enthusiastically descnbing his approach to maths concepts and equations.
Tall, gangly and dressed in a three-piece suit with his signature floppy bow tie (in honour of his 19th-century science hero Ludwig Boltzmann), he has the aura
of a typical eccentric.His unconventional appearance and approach have even earned him the label of the Lady Gaga of mathematics. His resume even includes a stint in modelling.
He says: "I agreed to appear in a French fashion magazine, although it was my first and last time!"
Mr Villanl. is in town for the Global Young Scientists Summit@one-north, which begins today and. ends on Friday·
The inaugural summit, organised by the National Research Foundation, seeks to highlight Singapore's vibrant research landscape. Its theme is "Advancing Science, Creating Technologies for a Better World", and it aims to inspire young scientists to address global challenges and future needs of mankind.
Young scientists will be encouraged to engage the many international leaders of science and technology that will be present at the event.
Mr Villani is a strong advocate of making scientific thinking more attractive to all.
He says: "Maths makes you feel like an adventurer in that you explore people's minds during encounters worldwide."
He insists that it is a universal language, saying: "It appears everywhere. Every movie with special effects and every animated cartoon uses many mathematical concepts and simulations.
"It is also used to predict the weather, ease traffic, draw architectural plans and detect cancers."
He adds: "Maths is the language by which the laws of physics are written, so it explains our world
"Just as one is interested in history to understand where the world we live in came from, you can be interested in mathematics to understand how the world works."
Mathematics has been crucial in some of the most important events in history, he maintains.
Mr Villani argues that without it, we might be living in a frighteningly different world today.
"Without the work of the English mathematician Alan Turing, who deciphered German military codes during the Second World War... The war could have been won by Germany!"
As a maths advocate, Mr Villani has inspired many who thought they had left the subject behind at school.
"I wrote a popular book called Optimal Transport: Old and New, which sold more than 40,000 copies, and received hundreds of comments by non-mathematicians," says the father of two.
And true enough, he has been approached by fans of his work, many Of whom are not familiar with the subject.
He has met singers, heads of state, writers and even rugby players in the course of his travels.
His fans include acclaimed film directors Takeshi Kitano and David Lynch, whom he maintains is the coolest person he has met.
"I enjoyed every minute in his company. He was very fascinated by mathematics and the birth of the Universe."
There are, however, some misconceptions about what Mr Villani does.
For instance, he does not see the world in terms of equations magically appearing before him -like in the film A Beautiful Mind.
Mr Villani is quick to dispel these misconceptions and points out that being a mathematician is not simply about complex calculations.
"Like many mathematicians, I do not calculate at all! It's not just about figures. My work is to understand problems."
While others may be inspired by Mr Villani to explore maths later in life, it has always been a passion for him.
"I always found maths a fun way to train your mind. I always loved it, but didn't imagine it would be my job until I was 25."
There is still the question of the discipline being sexy.
Mr Villani says he agrees with legendary French mathematician Andre Weil, who said that the rush from finding mathematics solutions was similar to that of an orgasm, but lasts longer.
So could maths be used in attracting the opposite sex?
"I'm afraid not. Mathematicians are human beings. We think in terms of emotions, not logic."
Mr Villani also says he's never tried a mathematical pick-up line, but shares one which one of his students came up with: "If you were a function, I would be your derivative, so I would always be tangent to your curves."
He admits: "I'm not sure it would be efficient. One should test"
People, The New Paper On Sunday, 20 January 2013, Pg 19
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no
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no
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls3uiHIbQnQ sum my answer up.
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If you are add and I am minus, together can we multiply ?
Shy Shy -
Yes lor!
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it's asking the obvious...sex is the Best Go and try it out
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Originally posted by Mr Milo:
it’s asking the obvious…sex is the Best
Go and try it out
are you asking me?
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nope, not pointed at you Just wanna highlight sex is the best entertainment
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integration = s3x
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i have not been taught about sex since school,but i was taught maths and of course,I prefer that to sex.
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Seeing as how so few people have ever done any real math, I'd say it's unfair to ask them to make the comparison.
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Originally posted by 8light:
Seeing as how so few people have ever done any real math, I'd say it's unfair to ask them to make the comparison.
Well, seeing how many people have had real sex, I'd say its unfair too.
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unfair comparison
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Your mean if science is protrayed like this is better ? : http://www.pcb-pool.com
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2 person moaning together in pleasure is proof sex is better than maths
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Maths is sexy, oh yeah !
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Tbh, proving a fking identity in amaths........The feeling is undescribable.
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Check out Daan Roosegaarde's science project : http://www.studioroosegaarde.net
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Yes, sometimes.
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Intro to Bikini Calculus : http://www.howtodogirls.com/episodes/s1e1_intro_to_bikini_calculus.php
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intro to bikini calculus is so .. but it does force maths-hater to learn calculus , but not quite a route to like maths.. haha ... but even so once you out in the working world, calculus will be emptied into recycle chute ... muahahahaha ...
I think learning to like maths is far more important than force-learning of mathematical equations, formulas and diverse methods, but unfortunately that is what the govt believes to make a more productive intelligent person and what the schools are doing right now in a more drastic extent compared to the past. That's why parents hire tutors for their kids, because they paise cannot solve their kid questions... muahahahaha ...
Maths is a beauty itself, is an art, is a kind of wushu that requires time ... maths equations, formulas, methods, critical evaluation etc.. are all dead as they are, but maths are alive. Until you begin to see maths is alive, you have not started out to know maths, which is one of component of scientific research. does this confuse ... muahahahaha .. okay okay forget about maths ... let's talk sex baby without maths...