Series: Slow-Pitch Seminars
 
Speaker: Stephen Simpson (Penn State)

Title: Foundations of Mathematics

Date: Tuesday, October 27, 1998

Time: 5:00 PM

Place: 325 Whitmore

Refreshments: 4:30 PM, 212 McAllister

Abstract:

  Foundations of mathematics, affectionately known as f.o.m., is the
  study of the most basic concepts and logical structure of
  mathematics, with an eye to the unity of human knowledge.  In this
  talk I will touch lightly on some topics in f.o.m.: the predicate
  calculus, computability, constructivism, incompleteness, reverse
  mathematics.  

  What, you may ask, is reverse mathematics?  Well, the traditional
  procedure in mathematics, going all the way back to Euclid, is to
  start with axioms and deduce theorems.  In reverse mathematics, we
  start with theorems and deduce axioms!