Keith Devlin on the Joy of Math

Stanford mathematician (and MAA blogger) Keith Devlin spoke in September to On Being's Krista Tippett about mathematics, learning, and what it means to be human.

Devlin compared equations to sonnets, decried the disservice done to mathematics by our educational system, explained Euler's identity, discussed the MOOC phenomenon, and admitted to being something of a "mathematics evangelist."

Read Tippett's mid-show advertisement and decide whether to listen to the conversation:

We've been exploring [Devlin's] view that what most of us learn as math in school doesn't convey the beauty and purpose of this endeavor. We're catching some of his delight in mathematical thinking as something that reflects the inner world of the human mind and can help us navigate the outer world in unexpected ways.