Divine Proportions

David Halprin writes with a review of a new (and mighty odd sounding) mathematics book: "In my humble opinion, we have an unjustified polemic in the world of mathematics, yet again. My background is tertiary level mathematics and concomitant research in specialised areas, so when a friend e-mailed me the link to this book, I was so excited after reading the author's hype, that I ordered a pre-publication copy. My expectations have not been met, unfortunately, hence my analysis precipitated this review." Read on for Halprin's idiosyncractic take on Norman John Wildberger's Divine Proportions: Rational Trigonometry to Universal Geometry. Divine Proportions - Rational Trigonometry to Universal Geometry author Norman John Wildberger pages 300 publisher Wild Egg Pty Ltd rating 2 reviewer David Halprin ISBN summary Wilberger presents an ultimately disappointing vision of a new descriptive system for geometry.

There are various ways to approach Norman's so-called "Rational Trigonometry" and/or "Universal Geometry." I have examined it from various perspectives and it does not live up to Norman's claims, whichever standpoint, that I have taken.

DEFINITIONS

Comments

I'm not that Smart!

[neonprimetime]

In my humble opinion, we have an unjustified polemic in the world of mathematics, yet again. My background is tertiary level mathematics and concomitant research in specialised areas

Polemic
Tertiary
Concomitant

Re:I'm not that Smart!

[Keith Russell]

Does the Architect know his thesaurus is missing?

Re:I'm not that Smart!

[Rude Turnip]

I, too, found this book to be shallow and pedantic.

Re:I'm not that Smart!

[Ed Avis]

I like that review... it starts off reasonable, and gets increasingly Time Cube as it goes on.

Re:I'm not that Smart!

[Anonymous Coward]

Hmm, yes, shallow and pedantic.

All I could think about...

[Anonymous Coward]

Mathematician 1+1 = 2
Scientist 1+1 is around 2
Accountant 1+1 = any thing your want

Re:All I could think about...

[Red Herring]

Engineer: 2+2=5, for large values of 2

Re:mod parent troll

[neonprimetime]

so cut me some slack, okay?

Those who spend their day monitoring the status of wiki shall receive no slack.

I'm not that funny either...

[Chaffar]

A rose by any other name is still a rose, I believe; Pythagarose?

There's also the recurring WOW WOW WOW's which I believe delightfully attempts to break the morose ambiance that prevails throughout the maelstrom of words that the author has deemed fit to call a critique of Wildberger's latest publication.

Re:geesh

[spun]

You need the Pretentious Geek/English translator. Here, let me help:

"I have to confess that I look upon his sojourn into Field Theory as a diversion in the same sense that a prestidigitator (magician), in his field of legerdemain (sleight of hand), distracts the audience members, thereby lessening their attention on what's really going on."

"I have to confess that I'm really smart. Smarter than you. In fact, you're pretty damn dumb. So dumb that I have to explain what prestidigitator and legerdemain mean. A prestidigitator does not mean someone who spanks the monkey, and legerdemain does not mean a type of beer. They mean you are dumb."

"Alas and alack, niente, gar nichts, zilch. Woe is me. Es tut mit leid."

"Not only am I very smart, I know more languages than you, proving I am a cultered man of the world. And implying that you are a redneck hick. So suck it, hick, I'm going to go prestidigitate my legerdemain."

Hope that helps get you started. If you want to learn more Pretentious Geek, please first stick a broomstick up your ass and tilt your nose upwards at a 45 degree angle, it helps the learning process.

Re:geesh

[tr0p]

Also, what's up with the German and French from out of nowhere? I'm all for using them when there is no easy english equivalent, but what the hell, "Alas and alack, niente, gar nichts, zilch. Woe is me. Es tut mit leid." Those are just extra words.

Easy to explain: Legerdemain (sleight of hand).

It amplifies the prestidigitator (magician) author's drama induced authority.

New obligatory quote...

[jpellino]

"In my humble opinion, we have an unjustified polemic in the world of mathematics, yet again. My background is tertiary level mathematics and concomitant research in specialised areas"

*blink*

"Ya hurt yer what?"

It's Friday

[papasui]

I'm usually too lazy to read the article but holy shit I'm not reading the review either.

Re:El Sucko

[EatHam]

I'm still not going to listen to some incoherent homeless guy raving about it on the street.

And you don't have to, there are plenty of them on /.

Didn't bother to read it

[Versalis]

In my humble opinion, we have an unjustified polemic in the world of mathematics, yet again. My background is tertiary level mathematics and concomitant research

#1 - Humble my ass

#2 - Such excessive sesquipedalianism is an immediate flag that the writer is writing not to inform or help. He's just masturbating his brain in public.

#3 - Humble my ass

Re:Compensating for something?

[rolyatknarf]

But driving a very tiny car might make your dick look bigger.

Why don't you...

[Anonymous Coward]

Shut your pi hole!

Re:geesh

[H0p313ss]

The OP's analysis is excellent, but frought with writing that goes beyond pretentious. It's just bad. Disorganized, rambling, semi-coherent and full of useless jumbles of letters that communicate nothing.

So... somewhat above average for Slashdot then?