[Maths-Education] Invitation to contribute to Philosophy of Maths Education Journal on Maths and Art

[Ernest, Paul]

Invitation to contribute to forthcoming special issue on Mathematics and Art


As you know, no. 23 of this journal was recently published on line at http://people.exeter.ac.uk/PErnest/

The next issue of the Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal - No. 24 in 2009 will have as its theme 'Mathematics and Art'. The aim is to explore all sorts of thoughts, reflections or even theories about mathematics and art in its many cultural and historical forms. I hope to invite mathematicians, artists, mathematics educators and teachers to contribute their reflections. That includes you!

This was in part a response to seeing some of the mathematically inspired artworks at a current show at the Portland Gallery which includes a couple of pieces of my father’s work. See http://www.portlandgallery.com/pages/exhibitions/151/works.html
Work 38 shown (by Peter Lowe) can be interpreted as posing a mathematical question: For what values of n does Triangular(n) = Square(n) ? (I’d love for this to show how smart I am but it was the artist who pointed it out to me, albeit in a different language!)

I was also inspired by talking to Frode Rønning in Norway about the history of the claim that all 17 ‘wallpaper’ group patterns can be found in the Alhambra tile patterns. Hopefully he will write this up!

I would like to invite you to contribute if this is a topic of interest to you, and also to pass the invite on to any colleagues or students that might have something to say. As well as reflective pieces considering the relations between the two disciplines (philosophical/theoretical), I am interested in historical issues; maths related to tribal or so-called 'primitive' art; art in/and ethnomathematics; and descriptions of single works, artists or even art movements looking at mathematical aspects - providing case studies, like 'materia medica', that help us reflect on the relationships involved! And while I primarily have the visual or plastic arts like painting in mind I see no reason the exclude music, dance, etc., if you have some interesting observations. Or even creativity and mathematics in general!

Is this philosophy? Well, no not really, but reflections on the relationships between disciplines is in a loose sense epistemological, and enlightening for students of mathematics in human culture – as I hope we all are!

Do think about contributing, and please pass this invitation on. Feel free to bounce any half-baked ideas off me!


Best wishes

Paul
__________________
Paul Ernest
Emeritus Professor
University of Exeter
SELL, St Lukes, Heavitree Road
Exeter  EX1 2LU, UK

Visiting Professor, HiST-ALT, Norway
Visiting Professor, UiO, Norway

http://www.people.ex.ac.uk/PErnest/
for Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal - No. 23 is out now!
No. 24 in 2009 will have theme 'Mathematics and Art' -- please consider contributing!