How do mathematicians believe? (Prof. Brian P Katz)

Title: How do mathematicians believe?

Speaker: Brian P Katz (BK), Department of Mathematics and Statistics, CSU, Long Beach

Abstract: Love it or hate it, many people believe that mathematics gives humans access to a kind of truth that is more absolute and universal than other disciplines. If this claim is true, we must ask: what makes the origins and processes of mathematics special and how can our messy, biological brains connect to the absolute? If the claim is false, then what becomes of truth in mathematics? In this session, we will discuss beliefs about truth and how they play out in the mathematics classroom, trying to understand a little about identity, authority, and tertiary education.

Brian P Katz (BK) is faculty in Mathematics Education at CSULB. BK is passionate about interactions between inquiry, epistemology, identity, authority, and justice as both a scholar and teacher, especially in the context of preparing teachers to lead student-centered and rehumanizing classrooms of their own. BK is Associate and Communications Editor with PRIMUS, a former Chair of IBL SIGMAA, a current member of the executive committee of SIGMAA RUME, an MAA textbook author, co-Editor of the inclusion/exclusion blog, co-Editor-in-Chief of the MAA Notes textbook series, and an Associate Director of Project NExT. BK supports two of the best cats in the world and loves to sing.