October 17, 2014
Thinking In Opposites: An Investigation on Math and Beauty
As Aristotle once said, “Those who assert that mathematical sciences say nothing of the beautiful or the good are in error.” My summer was spent defending Aristotle’s claim. In an analysis of the beauty of four images through a mathematical lens, I combined two seemingly opposite realms: art and science. I communicated with various participants, conducting interviews and posing difficult questions such as: can something be both beautiful and not at the same time? A multidisciplinary approach using philosophy, literature, math, and art helped me in this journey of discovery and thinking beyond convention was vital throughout. While I still wonder if we can define beauty through math, I have learned that no two things are disconnected.
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