Large Values of 2
So, in my last post, I asked you to ponder the following question: How many tons do you have when you put two 14-ton dump trucks on the same scale? Now, because of my stunning prescience, I already know your answer: “Wait…a question? What question? THAT question?!? You thoughtI’d actually ponder some question? Bahahahahahahaha…[passes out]”…
Russian Potato Soup
So last week’s blog began a series of posts dealing with certainty and ended on a cliffhanger*: Is mathematics certain? *OK, considering most of you fell asleep before the end of that post, cliffhanger might be a tad strong. Frankly, that’s a pretty stupid question. Now, some would remark, “Of course, it’s a stupid question.…
![Let’s Talk About a Woman’s Age…[slap]](https://quietcontempt.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/beetlejuice-eating.png?w=400&h=300&crop=1)
Let’s Talk About a Woman’s Age…[slap]
As established in my very first post, the point of this blog is to teach my kids how they can know things with certainty. I’ve defined proof, argued about arguments, failed to convince about the meaning of convince, and wasted four months avoiding discussions of qualified and judges. The problem with speaking about certainty is…
Silver…Where?
“When you come to a fork in the road…take it.” Yogi Berra It is unfortunate that the great Yogi Berra is better remembered for his humorous quotes than for his Hall-of-Fame playing (and coaching) career: 18 All-Star Game appearances, 10 (!) World Series championships, caught Don Larson’s perfect game (dominating the video of the final…
Eating Words is a Weird Diet
So, after reading my last post, an astute reader* remarked to me that it seemed like a big set-up for a discussion about transcendence. Well, the reader wasn’t exactly wrong, because I do plan to talk about transcendence–eventually. *I think that an honest conversation among ourselves would reveal that not a single person on the…
The Camera Adds a Few Pounds
Do you have any favorite words? I don’t mean something like pizza. I mean, I love pizza, but I don’t necessarily love pizza. You likely responded to that with “Huh?” You certainly responded to that with “Did you take your meds today?”* *It’s even more possible that you asked, “Where on earth have your posts…
Drinking the Kool-Aid
“Oh, yeah?!? Prove it!” So the theme throughout these recent posts has been to explore what is meant by “Prove it!” *I take it as a given that we all interpret “Oh, yeah” as a big, round, red man crashing through a wall. I am speaking, of course, about Andy Reid (coach of the NFL’s…
Let’s Get Ready to…Violate Trademarks!
I really wanted the title of this post to be boxing’s iconic opening: “Let’s get ready to ruuuummmmblllllle!” But somewhere in the deep recesses of my memory—-past the Konami code–past the knowledge that my Dad promised that we’d stop at McDonald’s after the Wednesday evening church service on April 17, 1985…but we never did–even past…
Proof Is In the Puddin’
My background is in mathematics* and now I teach mathematics for a living. As any other math teacher can attest, this means that I teach students how to do proofs. *Two thoughts here:1. I cannot fathom a more disinteresting five words to open a blog.2. My background is actually in video games, sarcasm, and an…
If I Only Had a Brain
The Wizard of Oz is universally considered one of the greatest films ever made: It is in the Top 10 on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years 100 Movies” list. Say whatever you will about the state of cinema and argue about its placement on the list (right at #10), but with the 1000s of…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
Quiet Contempt 