Exploration of Math Problems (S.H.E.M.P.)
Shemp Howard (March 4, 1895 - November 22, 1955)
(From www.thenoiseboard.com)
S.H.E.M.P. is a sequence of seminars meant to supplement senior and graduate level math classes. Topics which arise in passing in these classes will be explored in depth. Topics to be covered will hopefully include: philosophy and math, set theory and the set theoretic development of the natural numbers, the Axiom of Choice, the Banach-Tarski Paradox, the Continuum Hypothesis, Godel's Theorem and incompleteness, the completeness and uniqueness of the real numbers, the work of Archimedes, the work of Riemann, non-Euclidean Geometry, the Shape of Space, the Poincare "Conjecture", the history of algebra and the quintic, integral equations, alternate approaches to the definition of Lebesgue measure, manifolds, the number of functions mapping the reals to the reals, proof of the irrationality and transcendence of p and e, space filling curves, continuous and nowhere differentiable functions, basis of extension fields, history of math research in the U.S., the quaternions, and Riemann surfaces.
The seminar will start in Fall 2008. It will be rather informal, though the math presented will be highly formal. It is tentatively planned for Friday afternoons in Gilbreath 304. Check back for updates and a detailed schedule.
Most of the seminars will be presented by lead stooge Dr. Robert "Moe-Bob" Gardner. Some online notes which may be presented include:
 Dartmouth College's "BEAVIS Seminar" |
 ETSU's "BUTTHEAD Seminar" |
Return to Bob Gardner's webpage.
Last revised May 30, 2008.