About ten years ago I devoted a good deal of time to learning a bit of category theory - an area of abstract mathematics that's become important to physics. It deals with relationships rather than objects, abstractions and analogies, context, sameness, equivalence rather than equality, how you see patterns, and much more. It can impact thinking in many areas beyond mathematics. It provides a rigorous framework that gives choice in how problems are approached and take you beyond putting things in boxes that don't always make sense.
It's very technical, but Eugenia Cheng has written an excellent non-major freshman level book with the goal of getting art students to think about the world differently. I suspect it will work for many other people - particularly those who have to deal with complexity and seeing curious patterns that are otherwise missed. The Joy of Abstraction is one of those rare books that can change how you see the world. I'd recommend getting a physical version and doing the exercises. (I don't buy books from Amazon and recommend you support local bookstores)
Steve Strogatz chatted with her on this episode of his Joy of Wh(y) podcast. Listen even if the book doesn't strike you as interesting!
Comments