Mathematics From an English Major's Point of View

ION AS AN INEVITABLE FUTURE By examining characteristics of culture which include evo lution, environmental stress, diffusion, cultural lag and resistance, language, and selection and applying these characteri stics to the field of mathematics, it is possible to perceive mathematics as a cultural system or a subculture in and of itself. Mathemat ics as a subculture is inherently subject to evolution through relentless study, philosophical discussion, and pragmatic application. As a cultural system like that ofmathematics grows, evolves, and becomes institutionalized, increased abstraction inevitably results. Thi s occu rs within the structure of every culture and is not restricted to scientific systems. In the field of religion, abstract theologies augment the original simple rules and rituals in an effort to meet the demands of a society growing in complexity. Individuals and their cultures will continue to evolve, as will the subculture of mathematics. Mathematical innovations will persist in broadening cultural perspectives and influencing such seemingly unrelated field s as philosophy, theology, and art . It is through this mathematical abstraction of special fields that the promotion of other fields is made possible. HMN Journal #7 BIB LIOGRAPHY Kline, Morris. Mathematics in Western Culture. First ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1953. Ulam,Stanislaw M. Adven turesQfa Mathematician, First ed. New York: Charle s Scribner ' s Sons, 1976. Wilder, Raymond L. Mathematics as a Cultura l System. First ed . Oxford: Pergamon Press. 1981. Evolution of Mathematical Conce pts, First ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Inc.. 1968.