Joshua Bowman
LightNews LightNews
banner
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Joshua Bowman
@thalesdisciple.bsky.social
1.2K followers 540 following 1.1K posts
Associate professor of mathematics.
Hymn aficionado.
Large absent-minded spirit.

Resist simple narratives.
Cultivate an abolitionist imagination.
Posts Replies Media Videos
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Numberblocks
November 30, 2025 at 10:31 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Spent the day after Thanksgiving with family on the beach. Love climbing the rocks at Leo Carrillo State Park Beach with my daughters!
Selfie with me wearing a blue Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses with rocks and ocean in the background
November 29, 2025 at 3:46 AM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation: “The[se things] are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.”
Washington DC, October 3, 1863 By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation. The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth. By the President: Abraham Lincoln William H. Seward, Secretary of State
November 27, 2025 at 3:11 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Yes, it gets dark earlier in the evening, but that means I sometimes get to see a sunset before I leave campus.
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean
November 11, 2025 at 1:11 AM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
What would you do for a Klondike Bar
November 9, 2025 at 4:41 AM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Not much point in following @teenvogue.com anymore I guess.
Screenshot of Teen Vogue Bluesky account with a notification banner that reads “No longer following Teen Vogue”
November 3, 2025 at 10:23 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Went on Mastodon long enough to see Jim Propp call out this New Yorker article, which takes a break from examining the resource consumption of generative AI to complain about matrix multiplication: www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
CoreWeave's hardware can train an A.I. from scratch to completion. Software developers, typically at a workstation in Silicon Valley, upload to the data center a file of numbers known as "weights" and a vast array of training data, which might be text or images or medical records or, really, anything at all. In their initial configuration, the weights are random, and the A.I. has no capabilities. The A.I. is then exposed to a slice of the training data, and asked to offer a prediction about what should ensue—the next few letters in a sentence, say. An untrained A.I. will invariably get this prediction wrong, but at least it will learn what not to do. The weights must be modified to absorb this new piece of information. The math is unwieldy, and is especially dependent on an operation known as matrix multiplication. "Beauty is the first test: there is no permanent place in the world for ugly mathematics," the mathematician G. H. Hardy wrote, in 1940. But matrix multiplication, to which our civilization is now devoting so many of its marginal resources, has all the elegance of a man hammering a nail into a board. It is possessed of neither beauty nor symmetry: in fact, in matrix multiplication, a times b is not the same as b times a. As the matrices increase in size, the arithmetic requires great computational power to solve. The latest large language models can involve about a trillion individual weights. A weeks-long hero run for such a model can use tens of thousands of G.P.U.s and require ten trillion trillion operations, which is more than the number of observable stars in the universe.
November 2, 2025 at 8:36 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Finally saw this show in person. I love it so much.
Selfie with a Playbill of Hadestown at the Pantages Theatre
November 2, 2025 at 1:13 AM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
This is for @histoftech.bsky.social
October 28, 2025 at 3:38 AM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Sign is up.
Are all, some, or none of the following statements "overtly political"? We should support ICE's efforts to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. We should resist ICE's efforts to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. Undocumented immigrants deserve to be treated with dignity as human beings. Undocumented immigrants are a threat to American society and should be expelled. Children who are undocumented immigrants should be deported. Children deserve special protections regardless of their legal status. Anyone who is in the U.S. has a right to due process. Only those who are in the U.S. legally have a right to due process. Jesus taught us to follow the law. Jesus taught us to love our neighbors. Which of these statements should be censored? Ask your local university administration.
October 23, 2025 at 6:41 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Three images.

The first is an email from the provost that was sent to select faculty a week after the initial act of censorship took place.

The second is the artifact labeled as “an element that was overtly political in nature.”

The third is what I plan to post on my office door tomorrow.
Dear Colleagues, I want to share an update regarding recent events at the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art. [Here a paragraph describes the history of the museum and its role in the nested communities of Pepperdine, Malibu, and Los Angeles. The alt text does not allow enough characters to include it.] In September, the Weisman Museum opened the Hold My Hand in Yours exhibition, which features painting, sculpture, drawing, performance, and video. As part of the exhibition, one of the featured artists presented a video installation that included content with political overtones. A second piece from a different artist's exhibit displayed an element that was overtly political in nature. Because Pepperdine's established practice with the Weisman Museum has been to avoid overtly political content consistent with the University's nonprofit status, the museum removed these two pieces from display. Since then, there has been discussion with the artists to seek a solution, including inquiring about posting signage that notifies visitors that the artwork does not necessarily reflect the views of the University. That process has not been successful, and additionally, several other artists have withdrawn their pieces from the exhibition or indicated their intentions to do so. Given these challenges, the museum will close the exhibit. The University has apologized to the artists who may have been inconvenienced by this decision, and is honoring compensation agreements. The Weisman Museum is a cherished part of the University, and our intent is to maintain the highest standards of excellence as we celebrate artistic expression through the visual arts. Jay Brewster Provost Pepperdine University A rectangular piece of blue fabric that is part of a larger artwork. The fabric is embroidered with the text “Save the Children. Abolish ICE.” Are all, some, or none of the following statements "overtly political"? We should support ICE's efforts to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. We should resist ICE's efforts to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. Immigrants deserve to be treated with dignity and respect as human beings. Immigrants are a threat to American society and they should be expelled. Children who are undocumented immigrants should be deported. Children deserve special protections regardless of their legal status. Anyone who is in the U.S. has a right to due process. Only those who are in the U.S. legally have a right to due process. Jesus taught us to follow the law. Jesus taught us to love our neighbors. Which of these statements should be censored? Ask your local university administration.
October 23, 2025 at 3:14 AM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
I regret to inform everyone who liked the Ξs in this slide that I changed them to Vs, which felt less like a visual assault.
Screenshot from a slide from a math talk, containing the statement of a theorem.
October 20, 2025 at 12:40 AM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Was surprised to discover I was following this government account. But I started following nine months ago, when it wasn’t a mouthpiece for nationalist claptrap.
U.S. Department of Labor @dol.gov 14.1K followers 31 following 44 posts The official Bluesky account for the United States Department of Labor. AMERICAN WORKERS FIRST! U.S. Department of Labor @dol.gov Hi, Bluesky. Our friends from @cpsc.gov said we should join. Our memes are less unhinged but we try to be funny sometimes. What we really want to do is make sure workers know their rights and employers understand their responsibilities — and where they can go for help with a workplace issue. January 16, 2025 at 1:56 PM U.S. Department of Labor @dol.gov Our work on Project Firewall is critical in our mission to put Americans First and RESTORE THE AMERICAN DREAM. 'These Are Fundamental' —Fortune Magazine October 19, 2025 at 3:56 PM
October 19, 2025 at 11:41 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Other pieces of the centennial celebration: a poster of the program from the first section meeting in 1925, and a birthday cake.
Mathematical Association of America Southern California Section FIRST MEETING Los Angeles, Saturday, February 28, 1925 The first meeting of the Southern California Section of the Mathematical Association of America will be held at the City Club, 838 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles, and will begin with a luncheon at 12 noon, which will be followed by a business meeting and a program of five papers. Luncheon, $1 a plate. Make your reservations on enclosed post card and return to Professor H. Bateman, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, not later than Wednesday, February 25. Program follows Cake with icing text that says “Happy 1^3+2^3+3^3+4^3 Birthday MAA SoCal-Nev!”
October 19, 2025 at 3:10 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Celebrated the centennial of the MAA SoCal-Nevada Section this afternoon by building the MAA icosahedron logo in real life! Designed by Glen Whitney, who oversaw the construction. @joinmaa.bsky.social
An icosahedral frame built out of PVC pipes, decorated with blue tubes and orange panels to imitate the MAA logo Glen Whitney standing in front of the giant icosahedron 100 Years of MAA Southern California-Nevada, 2025 by Studio Infinity, principal Glen Whitney Plastic tubing and sheet; wire 8’x8’x8’ Made possible by the fiscal sponsorship of the Seattle Universal Math Museum.
October 19, 2025 at 2:09 AM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Too many Ξs or not enough Ξs?
Screenshot of a slide with a theorem on it. The precise statement is not important. What is interesting is the number of times a capital Xi is used. It appears as the name of a subset, and also as a subscript, and also as a superscript with a hat. It appears in each of these forms 3 to 5 times on the slide. There are also a lot of capital Deltas.
October 16, 2025 at 4:23 AM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Don't forget
Skeleton, voiced by René Auberjonois, from the animated film The Last Unicorn
October 13, 2025 at 5:26 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Toad seems chill about it
Screenshot of three Bluesky posts: Claire Willett @clairewillett.bsky.social • 4m okay so if Pepe is chaotic evil and Portland frog is chaotic good, where are our other frogs Kermit is lawful good obviously I think Frog and Toad are true neutral. they do them and that's it Michigan J. Frog is chaotic neutral Tiana, Naveen and Keroppi I'm uncertain Claire Willett @clairewillett.bsky.social • 3m I'm allowing quotes and replies on this one don't make me regret it Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social • 3m Then Toad fell asleep.
October 11, 2025 at 1:44 AM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
This link used to go to a press release about the exhibit. Now it goes to “Page Not Found.”
Screen shot from a Google news search: Pepperdine University Weisman Museum Director Andrea Gyorody Highlights the Hand as Artistic Agent in Upcoming Fall Exhibition This fall, Andrea Gyorody, director of the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University, will unveil her latest curatorial... 1 month ago
October 10, 2025 at 10:58 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
This sign was posted on the museum door yesterday. The exhibit was supposed to run through the end of March.
THE MUSEUM IS CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR DEINSTALLATION. WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.
October 10, 2025 at 10:45 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Meanwhile administration at my university decided to go all in on censoring an art exhibit, now trying to downplay it as no big deal.

hyperallergic.com/1048434/pepp...
Screenshot from an article on the Hyperallergic website: California School Shutters Exhibition After Altering "Political" Art Pepperdine University abruptly closed the show as at least a dozen artists asked to withdraw in protest of what they called an act of censorship. Accompanying photo: Elana Mann, still from "Call to Arms 2015-2025" (2025) (image courtesy the artist) In response to the school's actions, Mann and AMBOS requested that their works be withdrawn from the show. Both artists told Hyperallergic that Pepperdine administration did not explain their decision. In response to Hyperallergic's inquiry, a representative for the school cited the works' political content. "Because Pepperdine's established practice with the Weisman Museum has been to avoid overtly political content consistent with the University's nonprofit status, it removed these two pieces from display," Michael Friel, Pepperdine's senior director of Communications and Public Relations, told Hyperallergic.
October 10, 2025 at 6:21 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
And then there are those pairs of words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently.
October 4, 2025 at 9:45 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
She also discovered overflow when she mistakenly put more dots in the first box than she needed to get to the fourth box.
Four boxes in a row. The first box has sixteen dots, all crossed out (“exploded”). The second box has eight dots, all crossed out. The third box has four dots, all crossed out. The fourth box has two dots, both crossed out. One dot is outside all of the boxes; it is not crossed out. Next to it is written “oh no!!!!!!!!!” with many more exclamation marks.
October 1, 2025 at 3:49 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
A choral piece I wrote long ago made it into this morning’s church service as the anthem.
Psalm 18 Joshua P. Bowman (b. 1977) I love you, O Lord, my strength, O Lord, my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, he heard my cry. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy; he saved me from the strength of my foes. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! He is the God who avenges me, who subdues the nations under me, who saves me from my enemies. Therefore I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, I will sing praises to your name, O Lord my God, O Lord my Rock. He gives his king great victories, he shows his kindness to David's house forever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. World without end, amen!
September 28, 2025 at 9:01 PM
thalesdisciple.bsky.social
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was just 25 years old when she discovered what stars are made of: hydrogen, helium and just a dash of nearly every other element. Her finding in 1925 was among the first successful attempts to apply the nascent field of quantum physics to observations of stars, and it was immediately controversial. At the time, astronomers believed that stars were essentially just hot Earths - incandescent orbs of iron, silicon and the other heavy elements that constitute our rocky world. Payne-Gaposchkin, a young woman astronomer, was asking her senior colleagues to throw out everything they thought they'd known about stars and write the universe anew.
September 25, 2025 at 1:30 AM