IT INSPIRES more questions about its philosophical foundations and its role in the world than probably any other discipline. What is mathematics for? Why is it difficult? Why do I need it?
These are some of the questions asked by Christina, a friend of Philip Davis whom he invokes in his delightful and informative book Mathematics and Common Sense. In a question-and-answer style narrative he addresses many others. How has mathematics changed in the last 100 years? Where would a fan of the subject go to find the latest hot material? What is the greatest challenge to modern mathematics?…
