Political Numeracy: Mathematical Perspectives on Our Chaotic Constitution.MICHAEL MEYERSON How do the logical paradoxes revealed in Kurt Godel's incompleteness theorem theorem, in mathematics and logic, statement in words or symbols that can be established by means of deductive logic; it differs from an axiom in that a proof is required for its acceptance. explain Kenneth Starr's investigation of President Bill Clinton? HOW does chaos theory chaos theory, in mathematics, physics, and other fields, a set of ideas that attempts to reveal structure in aperiodic, unpredictable dynamic systems such as cloud formation or the fluctuation of biological populations. provide insight into rulings handed down by the Supreme Court? Meyerson answers such questions by examining the Constitution and our laws through the lens of modern mathematics. While most people wouldn't compare politics to mathematics, Meyerson proves that the parallels are many and that math influences government. He considers, for instance, how the Electoral College electoral college, in U.S. government, the body of electors that chooses the president and vice president. The Constitution, in Article 2, Section 1, provides: "Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, functions. Even before the 2000 presidential election, many people judged this method for electing our leaders as severely flawed. However, Meyerson's mathematical analysis Analysis has its beginnings in the rigorous formulation of calculus. It is the branch of mathematics most explicitly concerned with the notion of a limit, whether the limit of a sequence or the limit of a function. of other methods of election shows them to be flawed as well, and he argues that our current system is as good as any. Originally published in hardcover in 2002. Norton, 2002, 287 p., paperback, $14.95. |
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