The Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh invites you to join us for our Lunch Time Talk. Attend in person or visit our live stream on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.

Lunch Time Talk – David Waszek

October 24 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EDT

Title: From mathematical notations to the applications of mathematics: Studying epistemic accessibility

Abstract:

This talk is about mathematical notations, and more broadly about mathematical language. My goal is to present, and to argue for the fruitfulness of, a broadly speaking pragmatic approach to this topic—an approach that focuses on how notations shape what is epistemically accessible to practitioners (rather than, say, on the notations’ expressive power). First, I will motivate this line of investigation by arguing that it addresses questions that are raised, but left open, by recent discussions of the application of mathematics to empirical sciences. Second, I will present a case study of a historical episode of notational choice, in order to show how such an approach to notations can clarify discussions of ‘naturality’ in mathematical practice.

This talk will also be available live streamed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.