Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar (175)

 Response Paper #3, Due 10/26
Section 004

Your third Response Paper should discuss some aspect of mathematical truth and how it applies to the texts and ideas we have studied so far in the course.  Now that you have finished your module on mathematical truth, you should be able to synthesize some of the main ideas.  Your essay should demonstrate that synthesis.  Below I give some suggestions for Response Paper topics.  However, you are not limited to these topics;  you are encouraged to choose another topic that suits you, provided that your topic meets the above criteria.  In this case, please email me (szydliks@uwosh.edu) for approval of your topic.  Many of our texts include interesting quotes that speak to the issue of truth.  Some of the quotes/conversations that we discussed during our "speeddating" round on Monday, October 19, are in the file cantor.pdf.

For this final essay, you do not need to email me any intermediate drafts, but you should feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss a draft of your paper.  Remember that as with your other Response Papers, this one requires focus and organization.  Make sure that your paper is tightly written with a clear introduction and a focused thesis statement.  You don't need to highlight that thesis statement, but a good test for you is whether the thesis statement is obvious to anyone reading that first paragraph.

Here are some possible topics for Response Paper #3:

1. Going all the way back to the beginning of the semester, you have encountered a number of different characters in your readings, both real and, in the case of Flatland, fictional.  Choose two characters from different texts and compare their views on truth.
2. Our readings on Cantor and the transfinite realm made frequent reference to religion.  Compare religious truth and mathematical truth.  How are they similar and how are they different?
3. In "Desperately Seeking Mathematical Truth," Nathanson says, "... Even in mathematics, truth can be political."  Note that his use of the word "political" is in a very broad sense.  But what does he mean?  Do you agree with his assertion?  Make careful and specific reference to the readings we have done to support your answer.

Remember to read the Response Paper parameters and to follow them carefully.  Your essays are due at the start of the next class.

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