Math Book Club Chicago

We’ll discuss chapters 1 - 8.3 of The Joy of Abstraction by Eugenia Cheng. (pgs. 1-100)

Recommended Reading Pace: 7-8 pgs./day

From the Book Description:

“Mathematician and popular science author Eugenia Cheng is on a mission to show you that mathematics can be flexible, creative, and visual. This joyful journey through the world of abstract mathematics into category theory will demystify mathematical thought processes and help you develop your own thinking, with no formal mathematical background needed. The book brings abstract mathematical ideas down to earth using examples of social justice, current events, and everyday life – from privilege to COVID-19 to driving routes. The journey begins with the ideas and workings of abstract mathematics, after which you will gently climb toward more technical material, learning everything needed to understand category theory, and then key concepts in category theory like natural transformations, duality, and even a glimpse of ongoing research in higher-dimensional category theory. For fans of How to Bake Pi, this will help you dig deeper into mathematical concepts and build your mathematical background.”

As always, it might be more fun if you read the book, but if you don’t, that’s okay! The book is just a jumping off point for us to have some interesting discussions about abstract math and category theory.

We’ll discuss chapters 8.3 - 15.4 of The Joy of Abstraction by Eugenia Cheng, and the whole book up to this point. (pgs. 100-200)

Recommended Reading Pace: 7-8 pgs./day

From the Book Description:

“Mathematician and popular science author Eugenia Cheng is on a mission to show you that mathematics can be flexible, creative, and visual. This joyful journey through the world of abstract mathematics into category theory will demystify mathematical thought processes and help you develop your own thinking, with no formal mathematical background needed. The book brings abstract mathematical ideas down to earth using examples of social justice, current events, and everyday life – from privilege to COVID-19 to driving routes. The journey begins with the ideas and workings of abstract mathematics, after which you will gently climb toward more technical material, learning everything needed to understand category theory, and then key concepts in category theory like natural transformations, duality, and even a glimpse of ongoing research in higher-dimensional category theory. For fans of How to Bake Pi, this will help you dig deeper into mathematical concepts and build your mathematical background.”

As always, it might be more fun if you read the book, but if you didn’t, that’s okay! The book is just a jumping off point for us to have some interesting discussions about abstract math and category theory.

We’ll discuss chapters 15.4 - 20.4 of The Joy of Abstraction by Eugenia Cheng, and the whole book up to this point. (pgs. 200-300)

Recommended Reading Pace: 7-8 pgs./day

From the Book Description:

“Mathematician and popular science author Eugenia Cheng is on a mission to show you that mathematics can be flexible, creative, and visual. This joyful journey through the world of abstract mathematics into category theory will demystify mathematical thought processes and help you develop your own thinking, with no formal mathematical background needed. The book brings abstract mathematical ideas down to earth using examples of social justice, current events, and everyday life – from privilege to COVID-19 to driving routes. The journey begins with the ideas and workings of abstract mathematics, after which you will gently climb toward more technical material, learning everything needed to understand category theory, and then key concepts in category theory like natural transformations, duality, and even a glimpse of ongoing research in higher-dimensional category theory. For fans of How to Bake Pi, this will help you dig deeper into mathematical concepts and build your mathematical background.”

As always, it might be more fun if you read the book, but if you didn’t, that’s okay! The book is just a jumping off point for us to have some interesting discussions about abstract math and category theory.

We’ll discuss chapters 20.4 to the end, and the entirety of The Joy of Abstraction by Eugenia Cheng in the beautiful Chicago Athletic Association Drawing Room downtown. (pgs. 300-399)

Recommended Reading Pace: 7-8 pgs./day

From the Book Description:

“Mathematician and popular science author Eugenia Cheng is on a mission to show you that mathematics can be flexible, creative, and visual. This joyful journey through the world of abstract mathematics into category theory will demystify mathematical thought processes and help you develop your own thinking, with no formal mathematical background needed. The book brings abstract mathematical ideas down to earth using examples of social justice, current events, and everyday life – from privilege to COVID-19 to driving routes. The journey begins with the ideas and workings of abstract mathematics, after which you will gently climb toward more technical material, learning everything needed to understand category theory, and then key concepts in category theory like natural transformations, duality, and even a glimpse of ongoing research in higher-dimensional category theory. For fans of How to Bake Pi, this will help you dig deeper into mathematical concepts and build your mathematical background.”

As always, it might be more fun if you read the book, but if you didn’t, that’s okay! The book is just a jumping off point for us to have some interesting discussions about abstract math and category theory.