Approximating Mathematical Constants Using Minecraft

Re:Approximating Mathematical Constants Using Minecraft by vouaobrasil on Wednesday December 04, 2024 @08:14AM (#42317112)

First, a ton of arXiv articles are fairly low quality so nothing new there. Published math research though is of a fairly high quality but mostly irrelevant and too specialized. I doubt it is a stunt. Rather, it's probably a sign of late-stage research boredom where all the useful stuff has been done and now there's not much else to do but invent arcane puzzles for amusement.

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Re:Approximating Mathematical Constants Using Minecraft by eesmith on Wednesday December 04, 2024 @09:16AM (#42317595)

Monte Carlo integration to compute pi is not an arcane puzzle, given how often it's taught. We did it in my undergrad numerical methods course. In Fortran.

I don't think any of these are arcane puzzles for someone who wants a mathematical career, which is the target audience (see, 'likely one of the first irrational numbers you encountered in your mathematical career').

This is for undergraduate education. A 20 year old now was 6 years old when Minecraft came out. A 20 year old now studying math has very likely played a lot of Minecraft.

Also, the authors' respective institutions don't have a graduate level math program. Lynch's personal research is in combinatorics ("particularly connections between combinatorics and representation theory, topological combinatorics") and Weselcouch's is in "enumerative and algebraic combinatorics".

Rather than attribute it to "late-stage research boredom", why not interpret it as two young math professors (they are both in their 30s, I think) coming up with interesting ideas for their undergrad, math-interested students?

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Re:Approximating Mathematical Constants Using Minecraft by vouaobrasil on Wednesday December 04, 2024 @07:31PM (#42323569)

> Rather than attribute it to "late-stage research boredom", why not interpret it as two young math professors (they are both in their 30s, I think) coming up with interesting ideas for their undergrad, math-interested students?

Because I believe that is what the ultimate aim of research is these days: to attract more young minds to eventually contribute to meaningless pursuits.

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Re:Approximating Mathematical Constants Using Minecraft by eesmith on Thursday December 05, 2024 @12:31AM (#42325258)

Okay, I get it, you are one of those people who don't like pure math research because you don't see how it's useful in the real world.

No need to turn that downerism into doomerism, or imply it's some sort of new thing.

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Re:Approximating Mathematical Constants Using Minecraft by vouaobrasil on Thursday December 05, 2024 @04:47AM (#42326572)

I'll do what I wish. I have a PhD in pure math.

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Re:Approximating Mathematical Constants Using Minecraft by defrost on Thursday December 05, 2024 @04:57AM (#42326612)

That's the Ted Kaczynski spirit, just don't go full Oswald Teichmüller.

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Re:Approximating Mathematical Constants Using Minecraft by vouaobrasil on Thursday December 05, 2024 @06:27AM (#42327111)

Haha. Indeed.

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