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Viewpoints on Mathematics and Computer Science |
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How
can it be that mathematics, being after
all a product of human thought independent
of experience, is so admirably adapted
to the objects of reality? --ALBERT
EINSTEIN (1920)
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He
studied and nearly mastered the six
books of Euclid since he was a member
of Congress. He began a course of rigid
mental discipline with the intent to
improve his faculties, especially his
powers of logic and language. Hence
his fondness for Euclid, which he carried
with him on the circuit till he could
demonstrate with ease all the propositions
in the six books; often studying far
into the night, with a candle near his
pillow, while his fellow-lawyers, half
a dozen in a room, filled the air with
interminable snoring. -- ABRAHAM
LINCOLN (Short Autobiography,
1860)
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During
the past decade I was surprised to learn
that the writing of programs proved
to be much more difficult than all the
other things I had done, like proving
theorems or writing books. The creation
of good software demands a significantly
higher standard of accuracy than those
other things do, and it requires a longer
attention span than other intellectual
tasks. --
DON KNUTH
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A
scientist worthy of the name, above
all a mathematician, experiences in
his work the same impression as an artist;
his pleasure is as great and of the
same nature. -- HENRI POINCARÉ |
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Guidebook for Mathematics and Computer Science Majors |
Department
of Mathematics
Beloit College
Chamberlin Hall
Beloit, Wisconsin 53511
Revised
August 2002
Introduction
Mathematics
is classified both with the humanities and
the sciences. Its position among the humanities
is based on the study of mathematics as
one of the liberal arts for more than 2000
years. Of the four higher liberal arts comprising
the medieval quadrivium, two—arithmetic
and geometry—come from mathematics.
Mathematics, from the Greek mathema,
meaning, "that which is learned, learning,"
and the Sanskrit medha, meaning,
"intelligence, wisdom," is a discipline
with a long and distinguished history. A
constantly evolving field that at the highest
research level requires extraordinary creativity
and imagination, mathematics stimulates
critical thinking and clear, logical writing.
What distinguishes mathematics is its emphasis
on abstraction and formal reasoning.
Far
from being stagnant, mathematics offers
more new and challenging frontiers than
at any time in its long history-with
totally new mathematical fields requiring
new techniques and ideas for exploration.
Also, the applications of mathematics have
been greatly expanding in recent decades.
The physical sciences and engineering have
a long history of intimacy with mathematics
and more recently the biological and social
sciences have found the need for the use
of mathematical techniques. Computer scientists
use many branches of mathematics and have
stimulated a great deal of fundamental mathematical
research.
Consequently,
students may wish to major in mathematics
for many different reasons, and the math
major requirements are flexible enough to
accommodate a wide range of programs. Some
students who major in mathematics may wish
simply to pursue their enjoyment and interest
in mathematics. Others may have particular
goals in mind, such as preparation for graduate
work in mathematics, or for specific jobs,
or for further study in some other areas
in which mathematics may be used to advantage.
Some students are interested in studying
math for its own sake, others are more interested
in its applications. The Mathematics and
Computer Science majors are flexible enough
to accommodate all of these interests.
Various
opportunities open to mathematics and computer
science majors after graduation are discussed
in "What Can
I Do with My Math/CS Degree". The section
"Department
Facilities" mentions some special
facilities available to Mathematics and
Computer Science students, and includes
a list of journals we receive in the department,
which students can borrow. "Extracurricular
Activities" tries to survey some
of the many opportunities available to you
to enhance your college experience. The
major requirements for both the Math major
and the Computer Science major are discussed
in "Major Requirements",
and the planned schedule of course offerings
for future semesters is shown in "Course
Rotation".
In
"Related Programs
and Minors" there is information
about other programs at Beloit closely related
to mathematics, including other majors and
the mathematics and computer science minors.
For students considering graduate school
in Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related
field, "Graduate
School" has information of specific
use to you, including recommended courses,
how to find the right graduate school, and
information about financial support during
your graduate years. "Course
Descriptions" lists "extended
course descriptions" of most of the
upper-level computer science and math courses,
to give you more insight on what's in these
courses than you might get from the official
College Catalog. The Math/CS faculty and
some of their special interests are listed
in "Math and
CS Faculty".
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