Would Field's Science without Numbers be too mathematical, too broadly scientific or too philosophical for this type of list? I know you probably want to cover more territory than specialise but I would tout Moschovakis' Notes on Set Theory over Halmos. Overall a more beautifully written book that makes for a better understanding of the natural intuitions for why we have a foundations of mathematics.

joyce

10 days ago

good list overall though, thanks for making.

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yesiamapersonplease

7 days ago

Both added, thanks for the suggestions! Both are very much at home on this list.

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knot theory in context of mathematics is so fucking insane. I literally don't fucking understand how anyone can put in the effort to figure them out. The most autistic yet honorable lust for knowledge. FYI Frenkel's Love and Math is also a great book that explores "What if math was taught like art, where we start with appreciating the masterpieces?"

yesiamapersonplease

7 months ago

That's an awesome premise! Added.

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I enjoyed Mathematics and Its History by John Stillwell, e: the Story of a Number by Eli Maor, Incompleteness: The Proof and Paradox of Kurt Godel by Rebecca Goldstein , and Everything and More: A Compact History of Infinity by David Foster Wallace. All of which should be approachable if you have taken high school Calculus. Great list btw.

yesiamapersonplease

7 months ago

Added, thanks!

1Reply