MathPlus's definitions

Magical Thinking in Mathematics

When we deceive ourselves and allow others to deceive us on myths, mysteries, and magic in mathematics, be they via half-baked concepts, faux hypotheses, fallacies, paradoxes, tricks, and the like.

How can we fall for less magical thinking in mathematics? By teaching about faulty thinking habits, exposing false assumptions or hypotheses, warning against unquestioned extrapolation or generalization of rules or formulas, and debunking irrational or conspiratorial thinking.

by MathPlus May 5, 2023

Virus Hunters

Commonly or blandly known as “contact tracers,” who help identify people (and possibly even pets) who may have been exposed to the coronavirus to prevent onward transmission.

In Singapore, most virus hunters, made up of government officers, military personnel, and ex-hotel and airline staff, used to make between 30 and 100 calls during their 12-hour shift, ploughing through receipts and data to map out links between cases and establish clusters.

by MathPlus May 5, 2023

Math Con-sultant

A symbol-minded person who knows all 64 main intimate positions, including their 200+ variations, but struggles to get a date except with bots or digital dolls.

Guesstimate how many folks in academia, who consult or moonlight for publishing houses worldwide, are in fact math con-sultants, whose names on textbook covers could potentially yield a higher adoption rate among local or regional schools, especially among titles-minded teachers and parents.

by MathPlus May 1, 2023

Gossip

Tasty or juicy words that we enjoy swallowing, as they head their way into our innermost thoughts—they are easy to remember and retain, and are ever ready to be shared.

It’s unlikely that those who gossip to you won’t gossip about you. Think of the harm or hurt a gossip does to relationships and friendships.

by MathPlus April 30, 2023

Is Algebra Divine or Demonic?

Algebra became evil or murderous when God allowed Satan to put the alphabet in math, or when the father of lies got his wish to separate earthlings into simple- and symbol-minded people.

During his last metamathematical talk, Prof. Ian tried to answer these questions:
a) “Is Algebra divine or demonic?”
b) “Is Zero invented or discovered?”
c) “What is the value of Pi on Venus?”
d) “What is the color of Phi?”

by MathPlus April 30, 2023

Doom-and-Gloom Math

The hypothesis that a large proportion of the people in the developed world would lack the critical thinking and quantitative skills required of a 21st-century citizen, because the politics of nativism, populism, and racism plaguing their societies have directly or indirectly brainwashed or radicalized them.

Thanks to Trumpism or right-wing politics, clothed under white supremacism or white Christian nationalism, millions of adults and children have fallen victims to the gospel of doom-and-gloom math, who blame millions of immigrants and refugees for stealing their blue-and white-collar jobs and for invading the promised land of their forefathers (who did the same thing to Native Americans).

by MathPlus April 28, 2023

January 6 Xtians

Also known as the “Xtian Taliban.” Armed “Christians,” most of them being white racists and supremacists hiding under the umbrella of Christian nationalism, who wouldn’t hesitate to use violence or even murder to ensure that their pro-Christian un-Christian ex-president—who lost the 2020 US election to a white pro-abortion and pro-LGBTQ+ “socialist” presidential candidate—continued to be their “anointed” political savior.

Guesstimate how many ultra-MAGA “patriots,” blue-collar “evangelicals,” and January 6 Xtians would be convicted and sentenced to a jail sentence for answering the call of their Pharisee-in-Chief to storm the Capitol so that he’d illegally serve a second-term in office.

by MathPlus December 19, 2022