Documentary Screening: “High Anxieties – The Mathematics of Chaos”
The documentary looks at the modern advances in mathematics and how they affect our understanding of physics, economics, environmental issues and human psychology, as well as how developments in 20th Century mathematics have affected our view of the world, and particularly how the financial economy and earth’s environment are now seen as inherently unpredictable.
The film examines the influence of the work of Henri Poincare (on chaotic dynamics within the three-body problem) and Alexander Lyapunov had on later developments in mathematics. It includes interviews with David Ruelle, about chaos theory and turbulence, the economist Paul Ormerod about the unpredictability of economic systems, and James Lovelock the founder of Gaia theory about climate change and tipping points in the environment.
As we approach tipping points in both the economy and the climate, the film examines the mathematics we have been reluctant to face up to and asks if, even now, we would rather bury our heads in the sand than face harsh truths.
The documentary screening will be followed by a discussion and Q&A session with Dr. Naqeeb ur Rehman, a mathematician with a PhD earned through the prestigious DAAD research program in Germany. His teaching expertise extends to the university level in the areas of algebra, knot theory, cellular automata, and mathematical philosophy. Also, he runs the “OpenMathCircle” YouTube channel and Facebook page, and has conducted math circles, seminars, and talks across various educational institutions.
This session is free and open to all. Just visit the venue to attend it.
The Black Hole
Plot 5H, Street 100, G-11/3, Islamabad.
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