Hi, this week we've talked about humility. And
to be honest, we probably haven't learned anything
new. But maybe it's been a good reminder. We've
seen that mathematics teaches us to submit to
logic rather than our own preferences. It reminds
us that our intuition can be wrong and that mistakes
are just part of learning. We've learned that
other people may see solutions that we did not.
and that truth does not always depend on status
or reputation. I want to end our week with the
idea that no one does mathematics by themselves.
Think about it. Every theorem you study, every
technique that you learn, and every notation
that you use is part of a conversation that has
been going on probably for thousands of years.
When you solve a problem using derivatives, you
are building on the work of people like Newton
and Leibniz. And when you use algebraic notation,
you're benefiting from ideas that evolved over
centuries. Even the equal signs had to be invented
because someone wanted mathematical ideas to
be communicated more clearly. Mathematics is
not just a collection of facts. It is a story.
It's a story of countless people asking questions,
making mistakes, refining ideas, and then passing
their discoveries to the next generation. That
perspective keeps us humble because history always
reminds us what happens when pride gets in our
way. And one of the most famous examples is the
dispute between Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm
Leibniz. They disputed who deserved credit for
inventing calculus. Both made extraordinary contributions,
yet the debate over priority became bitter, and
it divided mathematicians across Europe for years.
Looking back, it's difficult not to think that
the energy spent defending personal credit could
have been better spent advancing mathematics.
And the irony is that neither Newton nor Leibniz
created calculus from nothing. Both were building
on centuries of earlier work, and every mathematician
since has continued building on theirs. That's
just how mathematics progresses. One person contributes
an idea, someone else improves it. Another finds
a new application, and then another discovers
a limitation. Generation after generation, the
structure grows. So here's a famous quote many
think came from Newton. If I have seen further,
it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.
So whether we're aware of it or not, every one
of us is doing the same thing. If you're studying
actual mathematics, for example, you're benefiting
from thousands of years of human curiosity and
persistence. You're certainly not starting from
scratch. You're actually joining a conversation
that began long before you and will continue
long after you're gone. I find that encouraging.
It's like we are playing a role in a much bigger
story. than ourselves. My contribution may be
small but others can build from it and then more
people will learn from those people and we see
an exponential growth equation building right
in front of us. In the end math teaches us that
truth is bigger than any one person. We are grateful
for those who came before us and we are willing
to learn from those besides us. And hopefully,
through our own work and generosity, we'll make
things just a little easier for those who come
after us. This is Dave from Intersecting Us.