BOUNCE categories@mta.ca: Approval required: (fwd)

[Bob Rosebrugh <rrosebru@mta.ca>]

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To: "Marta Bunge" <martabunge@hotmail.com>, categories@mta.ca, "Tom Hirschowitz" <tom.hirschowitz@univ-savoie.fr>
Subject: Re: Publicity
References: <E1UiTcE-000296-Qy@mlist.mta.ca>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:40:34 +0300
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From: "Revence Kalibwani" <revence@1st.ug>
Message-ID: <op.wylt5wui52s4kz@fardeau.ds.co.ug>
In-Reply-To: <E1Umw4g-00036s-IV@mlist.mta.ca>

Speaking as one who hated mathematics consistently in school, and then  =

came to be deeply intrigued by category theory (because I have a  =

probably-pathological obsession with corollaries), I am forced to concur=
   =

with Tom. I=E2=80=99ll never be a professional mathematician, but someth=
ing about  =

basic category theory just sounds so human. Analogies, homologies,  =

similarities, memories =E2=80=A6 these are the things our minds process =
every time  =

we look at a face, and category theory says =E2=80=9CI can help you draw=
  a bunch  =

of squiggly stuff for that.=E2=80=9D What=E2=80=99s not to love?

=CE=A4=CE=B7=CE=BD Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:40:33 +0300,=CE=BF(=CE=B7) Tom Hi=
rschowitz  =

<tom.hirschowitz@univ-savoie.fr> =CE=AD=CE=B3=CF=81=CE=B1=CF=88=CE=B5:

> Dear Marta,
>
> Thanks very much for your detailed answer.
>
> First, I agree with you that it is wrong to equate category theory wit=
h
> logic and computation. I don't know whose mistake this is, but it
> certainly is one.
>
> However, it seems to me that people may be led to category theory, or
> more generally any interesting subject matter, for bad reasons --- and=

> that this is sometimes good. (*)
>
> Category-land, as Jean B?nabou calls it, may look like a fortress from=

> the outside. So maybe we should be softer towards people trying to mak=
e
> it look attractive and open.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Best wishes,
> Tom
>
> (*) It was John Baez, `making a fool of himself' as usual, who made me=

> think I could enter the fortress back in 2006. I'll probably never be =
as
> fluent as native category theorists, but I nevertheless think my
> research has improved since then.
>
>
>

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