JÜRGEN MAASS & WOLFGANG SCHLÖGLMANN THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MATHEMATICS EDUCATION FOR ADULTS Our world is dominated by technological developments: The philosopher Heinz Hülsmann wrote that “Atom, Gen and Bit” are the three basic principles now (see Hülsmann, 1985). Each of the so-called new technologies is based upon mathematics: The first computer was built as a part of the Manhattan Project to calculate models of the atomic bomb. The human genome project uses computers very often to find out the structure of the genome. And computers are mathematical machines, materialised mathematics. Social organisations, companies, and not least governments use computers to process information. A precondition for this is to formalise the social or economical structure which “produces” the information. This formalisation is a type of mathematisation, too. The social and economical models of organisations or companies are a part of the process of mathematising the world. Last, but not least, mathematics is a part of everyday life and work. People handle money, buy things, do handywork at home (measure areas to paint, and so on). All together, mathematics is not only the basis for technology, economy, work and everyday life, but a part of our culture. It seems clear that everyone in our society should know more about this.

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Authors and Affiliations

Monash University, Australia

Gail E. Fitzsimons

Bibliographic Information

Book Title: What Counts as Mathematics?
Book Subtitle: Technologies of Power in Adult and Vocational Education
Authors: Gail E. Fitzsimons
Series Title: Mathematics Education Library
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47683-5
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2002
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4020-0668-5Published: 31 July 2002
Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4020-0669-2Published: 31 July 2002
eBook ISBN: 978-0-306-47683-9Published: 15 December 2005
Series ISSN: 0924-4921
Series E-ISSN: 2214-983X
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XII, 276
Topics: Mathematics Education, Professional & Vocational Education, Sociology of Education

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

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