Abstract
In the classic “The Mathematical Experience,” Reuben Hersh and Philip Davis gave a fresh look at mathematics and mathematicians and showed us that notwithstanding Plato and Hilbert, mathematics is a human activity and culture and its pretensions to absolute truth are unfounded. Mathematics is what mathematicians do!. This leitmotif was further expanded in the wonderful “sequel” Descartes’ Dream: The World According to Mathematics, also with Davis, and the more philosophical “What Is Mathematics, Really?”, written by Reuben all by himself. The fact that mathematics is what (human) mathematicians do is further expounded, beautifully, in Loving and Hating Mathematics, written in collaboration with Vera John-Steiner, that, inter alia, debunks G.H. Hardy’s stupid quip that “Mathematics is a young men’s game,” by describing many excellent women mathematicians and many excellent “old” mathematicians.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Additional information
Dedicated to Reuben Hersh on his 90th birthday
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Zeilberger, D. (2017). What Is Mathematics and What Should It Be?. In: Sriraman, B. (eds) Humanizing Mathematics and its Philosophy. Birkhäuser, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61231-7_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61231-7_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-61230-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-61231-7
eBook Packages: Mathematics and StatisticsMathematics and Statistics (R0)