A video about math! I did it! Also, updates (Patreon)

Hi!

1. There is a new video!

It's been a real long time since I did a classic video-making binge. Days of script writing, finessing the script and the narration, filming, editing, all in one all-encompassing creative flow with long hours and no distractions. 

It was inspired by this video Hank Green posted a video about a controversial number puzzle and what it says about humanity: https://youtu.be/lBJVyCYuu78 

People asked me my take on it, and I found that I had a lot to say. So here it is! https://youtu.be/Twik7wqdwZU 

John Green also posted a followup which came out today and so is not referenced in my video, but you can find it here: https://youtu.be/Zota_mthFIc 

2. This Patreon will be un-paused for November 1st

Payments haven't been being collected because I haven't been making any public content, but look, now I have! So I'm gonna enable the November payment. Thank you for supporting this video! Or, if for literally any reason it's not ideal for you to make a payment Nov 1, you've got until the end of the month to get your settings how you want them.

3. Math Auction of Cool Stuff

The Gathering 4 Gardner Foundation is doing a benefit auction, and there's a ton of cool recreational math stuff including puzzles, many out of print and signed books, and two of my notebooks. It hasn't been publicized much so there's a lot of amazing math items at low prices, and it's only up the next few days. Do your holiday shopping early, treat yourself, and help keep the spirit of Martin Gardner alive.

G4G's support of my early math career is part of how I got where I am today, which is why I decided to part with a couple notebooks for the first time. I'm not sure whether I'll ever part with any more, but these two are especially good ones, with lots of full pages of original drawings that have been seen by millions. An associated sharpie should also be included with each (I don't see it listed in the description but I sent them in and I see them still hooked into the spirals in the photos the organizers took).

There's one that was used for Twelve Tones and Doodling in Math Class: Dragons, and one that was used for Triangle Party, Connecting Dots, and They Became What They Beheld.

4. Other Links

I didn't have time to respond to John Green's followup video on the "math test", but if it makes you look deep into your soul about way to engage with real problems rather than clickbait problems, and if you like delicious guilt-free coffee, I would be remiss if I piggybacked off the Greens's content without recommending their excellent https://awesomecoffeeclub.com/ . 100% of profits to charity, regenerative agriculture, and delicious coffee. (also a good holiday present!)

Regarding the history of western philosophy and some of its foundational problems, an influential book for me has been Philosophy in the Flesh by Lakoff and Johnson. It's written in an academic and traditional western philosophy style, so if you're familiar with western philosophy and are looking for how to apply criticisms in its own language and in relation to its traditional history, then this is a pretty comprehensive book that maybe makes it easier to bridge the gap to more modern and inclusive philosophy.

That's all I got in my brain, gotta play video games and sleep and oh no there are a lot of things I have not done this past week oh noooooo

🐌