Devin
@dervine7.bsky.social
philosophy ph.d. student (philosophy of language primarily), amongst other things. they/he
it’s fun how this article does in fact demonstrate the dire state of math education in the US
ruin your thanksgiving by reading new york magazine's take on mathematics
![The Ten Most
Ridiculous-Sounding
Math Classes Currently
Offered at Liberal-Arts
Colleges
By Jessica Pressler, Janelle Zara, and Emily Watkins Rachel Stein andAviva Shen OCT. 19, 2010
Every year, liberal-arts majors anxiously scour their college's course listings looking for classes that will fulfill their math requirement but aren't so, you know, math-y. Here's what they're signed up for this year.
10. Topology: The Nature of Shape and Space: "In geometry we ask: How big is it? How long is it? But in topology we ask: Is it [Sarah Lawrence
9. The Mathematies of Chance: "Most topics are introduced ina case-study fashion, usually by reading an article in a current periodical such as the New York Times. [Bard]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5itm7jsyrdqdxizkb4cufqxl/bafkreieq6gmwmropzlvjkaaxk6d2smd4tv4dy7qar66uoyv6mhs6naa3fu@jpeg)
![8. Mathematics in Many Cultures: "Mathematical ideas are found in many cultures, among both literate and non-literate peoples. This course examines both mathematics and the role it plays in the cultures. Examples chosen from the mathematical ideas of present-day peoples of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, as well as historic Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Islam and China." [Pomona]
7. The Magic of Numbers: "This course will explore the beauty and mystery of mathematics through a study of the patterns and properties of the natural numbers 1, 2, [and] 3." [Harvard
6. Models of Life: In particular, we will ask such questions as: How do you model the growth of a population of animals? How can you model the growth of a tree? How do sunflowers and seashells grow?" [Kenyon]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5itm7jsyrdqdxizkb4cufqxl/bafkreic3c4ox53ouwr3ij3wsmvetmuknu2u2jai7hlvuigco3ahppeoabi@jpeg)
![5. Mathematical Origamist's Toolkit: "Topics include modular origami and how this models the creation of polyhedra and coloring of graphs, comparison of origami-axiomatic constructions to straight-edge and compass constructions, the combinatorics of possible crease patterns, the mathematics of origami design (circle packing, optimization), matrix models for paperfolding, spherical geometry, Descartes' Theorem, and Gaussian curvature." [Hampshire]
4. Mathematics and Narrative: "Many literary works (Arcadia, Proof, and Uncle Petros and the Goldbach Conjecture) use mathematics as an integral part of their narrative. Movie and television narratives such as Good Will Hunting and Numb3rs are also mathematically based. Nonfiction works about mathematics and mathematical biographies like Chaos, Fermat's Enigma, and A Beautiful Mind provide further examples of the connection between mathematics and narrative." [Vassar]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5itm7jsyrdqdxizkb4cufqxl/bafkreigyk5tqjszw3fodt7ivmszq7mozpta55o7c552oyzpbqyphl26x7m@jpeg)
![3. Borges and Mathematics: "Jorge Luis Borges was one of the most important writers of the 20th century. Many of his short stories and essays were concerned with philosophical, metaphysical, and mathematical questions. The thesis motivating this course is that if we know the mathematies that Borges referred to, then we will read him differently, and we will read him better." [Bennington 2. Mathematics and Science as Art in Contemporary Theatre: "Playwrights such as Tom Stoppard, Rinne Groff, Michael Frayn, and others have effectively explored mathematical and scientific themes for artistic purposes. Through readings and exercises, and by conducting labs and staging scenes, this class will gain some first-hand insight into the complementary ways in which science and art aim to seek out their respective truths." [Middlebury]
1. Meaning, Math, And Motion: "Quoting a charming articulation by Kinsman (a mathematician-turned-oceanographer, in the preface to Wind Waves): "To the beginner, science is a conversation that has been in progress for a very long time. Our collective work is to catch up on the conversation. [Evergreen]
This is why Asia is winning, by the way.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5itm7jsyrdqdxizkb4cufqxl/bafkreihglx3kxej43i22j4vggyoutp2oyomivtmmvgp6uvslqemm4hhpci@jpeg)
November 27, 2025 at 6:07 PM
it’s fun how this article does in fact demonstrate the dire state of math education in the US
Reposted by Devin
My nephew: Are you a girl or a boy?
Me: a boy, I used to look more like a girl but then I turned into a boy
Nephew: How???
Me: I went to the doctor and they gave me some medicine
Nephew: …
Nephew, bragging now: I’M a boy and I didn’t even HAVE to go to the doctor
Me: a boy, I used to look more like a girl but then I turned into a boy
Nephew: How???
Me: I went to the doctor and they gave me some medicine
Nephew: …
Nephew, bragging now: I’M a boy and I didn’t even HAVE to go to the doctor
November 27, 2025 at 3:41 PM
My nephew: Are you a girl or a boy?
Me: a boy, I used to look more like a girl but then I turned into a boy
Nephew: How???
Me: I went to the doctor and they gave me some medicine
Nephew: …
Nephew, bragging now: I’M a boy and I didn’t even HAVE to go to the doctor
Me: a boy, I used to look more like a girl but then I turned into a boy
Nephew: How???
Me: I went to the doctor and they gave me some medicine
Nephew: …
Nephew, bragging now: I’M a boy and I didn’t even HAVE to go to the doctor
Hampshire made the list twice! (and both for classes that if you actually know anything about math are clearly pretty rigorous)
ruin your thanksgiving by reading new york magazine's take on mathematics
November 27, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Hampshire made the list twice! (and both for classes that if you actually know anything about math are clearly pretty rigorous)
the goal when cleaning for guests is that when you say "sorry about the mess!" they'll be embarassed about the state of their own home
November 27, 2025 at 3:26 PM
the goal when cleaning for guests is that when you say "sorry about the mess!" they'll be embarassed about the state of their own home
Reposted by Devin
some accidental magical realism in WaPo
November 27, 2025 at 12:01 AM
some accidental magical realism in WaPo
*scribbling in my philsky joke notebook* Grue MAGA
November 27, 2025 at 5:57 AM
*scribbling in my philsky joke notebook* Grue MAGA
it sounds like an American with a slight cold trying to imitate the Beatles, but he doesn’t quite know the difference between Lennon and McCartney
oh wow the new mixes of Free As a Bird and Real Love where they used AI to extract Lennon’s vocals from the tapes sound like shit
November 27, 2025 at 5:03 AM
it sounds like an American with a slight cold trying to imitate the Beatles, but he doesn’t quite know the difference between Lennon and McCartney
oh wow the new mixes of Free As a Bird and Real Love where they used AI to extract Lennon’s vocals from the tapes sound like shit
November 27, 2025 at 4:51 AM
oh wow the new mixes of Free As a Bird and Real Love where they used AI to extract Lennon’s vocals from the tapes sound like shit
repost to save a life
November 27, 2025 at 4:17 AM
repost to save a life
some accidental magical realism in WaPo
November 27, 2025 at 12:01 AM
some accidental magical realism in WaPo
Reposted by Devin
I like how it’s written like he forgot what the word was
November 26, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I like how it’s written like he forgot what the word was
I like how it’s written like he forgot what the word was
November 26, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I like how it’s written like he forgot what the word was
I’m sorry but if you’re going to make sequels to Freaky Friday the titles should be successive days of the week. Screwy Saturday. Surreal Sunday. Manic Monday.
November 25, 2025 at 1:41 AM
I’m sorry but if you’re going to make sequels to Freaky Friday the titles should be successive days of the week. Screwy Saturday. Surreal Sunday. Manic Monday.
Reposted by Devin
Reposted by Devin
Saw a resist lib bumper sticker that was like "The nice thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe it." And I'm like, buddy, let me tell you about Literally Almost All Truths
November 24, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Saw a resist lib bumper sticker that was like "The nice thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe it." And I'm like, buddy, let me tell you about Literally Almost All Truths
Reposted by Devin
look, I’m not an economist, but if you’ve calculated a poverty line that’s 50k above the median income I’m pretty sure you’ve done something wrong
November 24, 2025 at 3:24 PM
look, I’m not an economist, but if you’ve calculated a poverty line that’s 50k above the median income I’m pretty sure you’ve done something wrong
look, I’m not an economist, but if you’ve calculated a poverty line that’s 50k above the median income I’m pretty sure you’ve done something wrong
November 24, 2025 at 3:24 PM
look, I’m not an economist, but if you’ve calculated a poverty line that’s 50k above the median income I’m pretty sure you’ve done something wrong
Reposted by Devin
academic paper titles :
October 21, 2025 at 12:58 PM
academic paper titles :
Reposted by Devin
When Frog got home, he said, “Tomorrow I will clean up the leaves that are all over my lawn.”
November 23, 2025 at 11:37 PM
When Frog got home, he said, “Tomorrow I will clean up the leaves that are all over my lawn.”
Reposted by Devin
Have I ever listened to Hey Jude by The Beatles? Absolutely not. It's addressed to Jude, not me. What about Annie's Song by John Denver? Nope. Not my song so none of my business. Everyone should treat the private communications of musicians with the same level of respect as I do.
November 23, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Have I ever listened to Hey Jude by The Beatles? Absolutely not. It's addressed to Jude, not me. What about Annie's Song by John Denver? Nope. Not my song so none of my business. Everyone should treat the private communications of musicians with the same level of respect as I do.
everyone in Britain immediately bought an iPhone the moment it was launched, and nothing else of long-term economic significance happened around that time
Not saying people stare at their phones like zombies, but there was a pretty life-changing product launch in 2007
November 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
everyone in Britain immediately bought an iPhone the moment it was launched, and nothing else of long-term economic significance happened around that time
(some well-known exceptions but) in my experience, people who say the Beatles are overrated are rarely themselves musicians
November 23, 2025 at 6:17 PM
(some well-known exceptions but) in my experience, people who say the Beatles are overrated are rarely themselves musicians
at least in the last gilded age the robber barons tried to clean up their image by building public libraries and universities and whatnot
November 23, 2025 at 6:05 PM
at least in the last gilded age the robber barons tried to clean up their image by building public libraries and universities and whatnot
charitably, he saw this somewhere and didn’t realize it was fake, but even that’s not particularly charitable given that he’s supposedly a journalist
November 23, 2025 at 5:54 PM
charitably, he saw this somewhere and didn’t realize it was fake, but even that’s not particularly charitable given that he’s supposedly a journalist