The joy of abstract mathematical thinking - with Eugenia Cheng

Category theory is an abstract branch of mathematics – but did you know it can be both fun, and extremely useful for everyday life?

Watch the Q&A here:    • Q&A: The joy of abstract mathematical...  
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Watch this clear and engaging talk on category theory, as Eugenia sheds light on how her speciality can be applied to many different areas of life, including inequalities, current events, and day to day living.

This talk was recorded at the Ri on 5 April 2023.

00:00 Introduction
06:54 What is category theory?
18:30 What is abstraction?
25:41 Why is context important in mathematics?
33:04 Relationships between things
41:21 Categories – history and definition
50:08 Conclusion

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Dr Eugenia Cheng is a mathematician, educator, author, public speaker, columnist, concert pianist and artist. She is Scientist In Residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She won tenure in Pure Mathematics at the University of Sheffield, UK and is now Honorary Visiting Fellow at City, University of London. She has previously taught at the Universities of Cambridge, Chicago and Nice and holds a PhD in pure mathematics from the University of Cambridge. Alongside her research in Category Theory and undergraduate teaching her aim is to rid the world of “math phobia”.

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