Extraordinary understanding: from mathematical emperor to civilized leader

Negative Dan University, Great Hall.

Facing thousands of teachers and students, Xu Ning stood on the podium and talked.

"The influence and role of mathematics can be said to be ubiquitous, and its characteristics are also distinct.

For example, one of its most striking features is its evergreenness.

Many discoveries of mankind are like smoke clouds, and many disciplines have established new theories from overturning the conclusions of predecessors.

However, the development of mathematics throughout the ages is not the destruction of the achievements of predecessors by later generations, but the addition of a new layer of mathematicians to the original building by each generation of mathematicians.

Therefore, mathematical conclusions often have eternal significance. "

Speaking of this, Xu Ning paused and said: "Let me give you a simple example, everyone should know the Pythagorean theorem, right?" "

Everyone in the audience nodded.

Xu Ning continued: "The Pythagorean theorem first appeared in the Western Zhou Dynasty in China, and was discovered by a man named Shang Gao at that time, who described it as Pythagorean three strands and four strings five.

It has been thousands of years since the Pythagorean theorem was discovered, but have people pushed it down?

No, not only is it not considered old-fashioned and dismissive, but on the contrary, it is also called the first theorem of the ages, which has been highly praised and repeatedly applied, which shows the eternal significance of mathematics. "

——[Ah, did we discover the Pythagorean theorem first, if Xu Ning didn't say it, I would have always thought it was discovered by foreigners.] ]

——[Indeed, I have the impression that the Pythagorean theorem was discovered by Western mathematicians, and sure enough, the memory in the brain is always somewhat different from reality.] ]

——[No, you should also know that hook and strand are our ancient words, how can you think that the Pythagorean theorem was discovered in the West, and what they found will generally be titled with names and the like, such as Newton's three theorems of Brother Aniu.] ]

On the podium, Xu Ning continued: "Secondly, mathematics is an important science.

Mathematics ignores the specific forms and properties of matter, and studies the real world purely from the perspective of quantitative relations and spatial forms.

It is similar to philosophy, has the characteristics of transcending specific disciplines, is universally applicable, and has guiding significance for all disciplines.

Today, the mathematical sciences have formed a vast scientific system that includes pure mathematics, as well as many sub-disciplines and many emerging interdisciplinary disciplines contained in applied mathematics. "

Xu Ning slowed down his speech, "Mathematics is far richer than what we have seen, and it is not exaggerated to say that the connotation of mathematics is broad and profound.

But the more mathematics develops, the more things become more complicated, on the contrary, it becomes easier to deal with problems, such as with the advent of computers. "

Xu Ning's expression gradually became solemn, "Finally, the development of mathematics represents the development of civilization.

Mathematics is an important foundation of human civilization.

Its emergence and development have accompanied the process of human civilization, and have always played an important role in promoting it and occupying a pivotal position.

Because of time, I will just give a simple example of counting and carrying. "

Xu Ning stretched out his left hand, snapped his fingers and said, "As you know, mathematics begins with counting.

Primitive people can only distinguish 1 from many, and when they encounter 3, they feel more, and this is probably how the three are "many".

Later, with the decimal system, the ten numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0, plus every decimal one, and a decimal point, can represent any number in the world.

This is a fact that people now know since childhood, and it seems to be natural.

However, this has gone through a long historical process and is an indelible contribution of mathematics to human civilization.

Without it, slightly larger numbers can be confusing, let alone astronomical or extremely tiny.

Can we still have such a highly developed civilized society in today's financial industry or scientific experiments? "

Xu Ning concluded: "The ancients said: Heaven does not give birth to Zhongni, and eternity is as long as night.

It's the same with math.

Without mathematics, without mathematical progress, people may still live in ignorance and live a life that is 'as long as night'.

So that's why we should value mathematics..."

After the speech, Xu Ning bowed slightly to thank him.

The audience instantly erupted into warm applause.

After the applause gradually subsided, Xu Ning said: "There is still some time, if you have any questions, you can ask me questions." "

Whew~

One by one, the arms were raised.

Xu Ning casually ordered a boy, and the boy's expression was very excited, obviously he didn't expect to be the first to be selected.

Standing up, Hong Tao, who was drawn, said excitedly: "Teacher Xu, uh, Professor Xu..."

Xu Ning was crying and laughing, and said: "You still call me Teacher Xu, it's not too late to call me a professor after I join." "

The crowd laughed.

Hong Tao scratched his head embarrassedly and asked his own question: "Hello Mr. Xu, what do you think is the biggest charm of mathematics?" "

Xu Ning thought for a short while and replied

"I think the biggest charm of mathematics is that even though the material world we are in today may only be the imaginary false world of our minds, which is the brain in the vat, there is also a real external world.

Then the conclusions of mathematics also hold true in that real outer world. "

Hong Tao was stunned, he didn't understand what Xu Ning meant for a while.

Xu Ning explains: "There has been a debate in academia for a long time about whether there is such a topic in the real external world.

In my opinion, everything is possible, so the existence of the external world is possible, even if it is very small.

So for this problem, let's simply assume that we are now in the state of brain in the cylinder.

Everything you perceive in the physical world: the mobile phone around you, the computer, the house you live in, the car you drive... It exists simply in our consciousness.

Then let's consider the correctness of the discipline of natural science—the study of all natural phenomena in our world'.

When we accept the above hypothesis, we can say that the conclusions reached by natural science are likely to be true only in our consciousness.

In another real external world, it is very likely that it will not be true at all. "

Xu Ning said with a serious expression: "For example, in the real external world, gravity may be facing upward.

But for mathematics, especially number theory, 'mathematics does not need to depend on real things to have meaning'.

That is, even in a real outer world where the rules of physics are completely different from the environment in which we live.

As long as we re-establish the digital system in the external world 1, 2, 3... Our civilization can be reforged! "

Xu Ning raised his hand slightly, and said with a deep expression: "This is the charm of mathematics!" "

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