Thomaskutty

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MATHEMATICS AND

CIVIL SOCIETY

Dr. P. G. ThomaskuttyReader in EconomicsMar Ivanios College

Trivandrum, India


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Outside the Class-roomThe advancement in the areas of Scienceand Technology are rapid and rather amazing

All these astounding advancements are

indebted to Mathematics to a great extentEveryone who is a beneficiary of thesescientific and technological facilities mayhave to know a little of Mathematics for itsfruitful and smooth utilization

Hence, Mathematics cannot be considered asa classroom discipline only


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Mathematics is the

Mirror of CivilizationIt is rightly said that, Mathematics is the mirrorof civilisation.

The history of Mathematics portrays the culture

and civilisation of a Civil Society.A close and careful study of the history willreveal the fact that ancient civilizations are verymuch related to the development ofMathematics.

History of Mathematics is the history ofcivilization

History of Mathematics reveals that whenever asociety gave due weightage to the knowledgeof Mathematics, it made a tremendous

progress


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Mathematics is the

Common HeritageWhen Mathematics makes its contribution inthe advancement of science and technology,society draws huge benefits

Its history presents a very good picture of theoverall development of our civilization

What we possess in the form of Mathematicalknowledge today is the fruit of the combinedefforts of all human beings

Mathematics is the common heritage ofmankind and it is not the exclusive property ofany particular nation, race or country.


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Through HistoryBabylonians possessed the knowledge of multiplicationand division of numbers, taking square and square root ofnumbers, finding areas of certain geometrical figures

Egyptian civilization is also owed to Mathematics. Aristotle

says that Mathematics had its birth in Egypt, becausethere the priestly class had leisure, needful for its study.They built pyramids at a very early period.

When we think of Greek civilization, we could not help toremember the great Mathematicians, like, Thales,Pythagoras, Plato, Ptolemy, Archimedes, Apollonius,

Pappus, Diophantus, etc.When we go through history, we can see further thecontributions from Romans, Chinese, Japanese, Arabsand Indians to Mathematics.


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Educational Values of

MathematicsPractical or Utilitarian Values

Disciplinary Values

Cultural Values

Social Values

Moral Values

Aesthetic Values

Recreational Values


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Practical or

Utilitarian ValuesA common man can get on sometimes verywell without learning how to read and write,but he can never pull on without learning how

to count and calculate.Any person ignorant of Mathematics will be atthe mercy of others and will be easilycheated.

The knowledge of its fundamental processesand the skill to use them are the preliminaryrequirements of human being these days


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For Personal Use

Most individual as well as group projects in

life fail for want of sense of calculation.

A person with proper calculations, can

anticipate all the possible handicaps to be

faced and thus can adopt precautionary

measures.

An individual is the smallest unit of a CivilSociety. The society can flourish only if the

smallest unit flourishes.


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For the SocietyIn many occupations indirect or direct use of Mathematics ismade.

Many of the projects depend upon Mathematics for theirsuccessful functioning.

It has become the basis of the worlds entire business andcommercial system.Mathematical illiteracy in the masses is a formidable barrier inthe way of a countrys progress.

One is sometimes misled about the practical value ofMathematics on account of a feeling that whatever is taught inhigher classes is of little use to live in the society.

The common man seldom uses the knowledge in higherMathematics in his later life. But the value of a subject cannot bemeasured in this way. The great Napoleon said, the progressand the improvement of Mathematics are linked to the prosperityof the state


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Disciplinary ValuesThe habit of carefully analysing the situation beforedecision making could be very helpful in complex lifesituations where decision making becomes verydifficult.

As Mathematics deals with facts, which are accurateand precise, there is no scope for uncertainty orvagueness. This makes the mind of the learner morebroad and open. He enjoys a universal acceptance,without any barriers of countries, languages, climate,etc.

The knowledge of Mathematics helps the members ofthe society to organise his ideas more logically andexpress his thoughts more accurately and explicitly. Ittrains the members not to take things for granted, orrely on tradition or authority, but rely on reasoning.


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Cultural Values

The essence of culture of a Civil Society is in themode of living of its members.

The culture reflects how they live, behave, dress, eat,drink, rear their children, and maintain their social

relationship.The mode of living of the members of a society isgreatly determined by the scientific and technologicaladvancement, which in turn depends upon theprogress and development of Mathematics.

Therefore the changes in modes of living and therebythe culture has been continuously influenced by theprogress in Mathematics.

Mathematics also helps in the preservation andtransmission of our cultural traditions.


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Social ValuesMathematics helps in the proper organisation andmaintenance of a fruitful social structure.

It plays an important role in the proper setting up ofsocial institutions such as banks, co-operatives,railways, post offices, insurance companies,industries, transports, navigation and so on.

Effective business transactions, exports and imports,trade and commerce and communication cannot take

place without Mathematics.Thus smooth and orderly functioning of the civilsociety is ensured by Mathematics.


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Individual and the SocietyThe success of an individual in a society depends onhow well he is able to become a part of the societyand what contributions he can make towards theprogress of the society and how well he can be

benefited by the society.Today, our social existence is totally governed by thescientific and technological knowledge, which canonly be attained by the study of Mathematics.

Mathematical methods and logics are used toinvestigate, analyse and draw inferences regardingthe formation of various social laws and theircompliance.

More over the values acquired through learningMathematics will help the individual to adjust himselfand lead a harmonious life in the society.


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Moral ValuesThe study of Mathematics helps an individualin his character formation in many ways.

It develops in him a proper attitude, as there

is no space for prejudiced feelings, biasedoutlook, discrimination and irrational thinking.

It aids him in objective analysis, correctreasoning, valid conclusions and impartial

judgment.

These moral values inculcated in theindividual help him to become a successfulmember of his society.


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Aesthetic ValuesMathematics enriches with its aesthetic appeal.

The elegance and gracefulness of Mathematicalrelationships touches our emotions, much like musicand art can reach inside the psyche and make us feel

truly alive.When we go through the biographies of greatMathematicians, we see that almost all of them wereattracted to this divine discipline, by realising itsbeauty.

They were not studying Mathematics, butworshipping it.

The fineness, the harmony, the symmetry everythingadds its beauty.

Music or art are simply the outcome of this eternalbeauty.


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Recreational ValuesMathematics gives a variety of recreational opportunities togrown up people as well as children.

Mathematics entertains people. Various puzzles, games,riddles, etc., of Mathematics, give people recreation andentertainment.

The modern video-computer games are all developed throughproper use of Mathematics.

The significance of this type of recreation is that, this enablesone to develop his imagination, sharpen his intellect and drawsatisfaction to his mind.

The human brain is an organ that improves with exercise. The

study of Mathematics thus gives sufficient exercise to the brainof an individual.

For the practitioner of Mathematics, the daily joy of untwistingsome strange Mathematical relationship is always entertaining.


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Empirical Study

The main objectives of the study were:

to evaluate the impact of Mathematicslearning in individual life; and

to evaluate the impact of Mathematics

learning in social life.


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Classification :Formal Education in Mathematics


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Classification :Primary Occupation


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Classification : Opinion on Valuesof Mathematics


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Conclusion

Even though a good percentage of peopleare unaware of the relation between CivilSociety and Mathematics, it does not mean

that the relation is insignificant. The structure and functioning of the Society is

highly depending on Mathematics. But theonly thing is that the members of the Society,

irrespective of their education level oroccupation is highly ignorant towards thisrelationship.

In this world of technological savvy, we

cannot think of a Mathematics-free society.


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What can we do

We should see and admit the goodness

in Mathematics.

No doubt, this will make our societyprogress with enormous power.

So there should be a move from the

part of Mathematics Teachers andAcademicians to make the public aware

of the values of learning Mathematics,

especially its Social values.


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ReferencesAnice James, Teaching of Mathematics, Neelkamal

Publications, Hyderabad, India, 2005

Bell, E. T., The Development of Mathematics,McGraw Hill, New York, 1940

Clawson, C. C., Mathematical Sorcery, Viva Books,India, 2004.

Hogben, L., Mathematics for the Million, Norton&Company, New York, 1937.

Kulshrestha, A. K. , Teaching of Mathematics, (Third

Edition), Surya Publications, Meerut, India, 2005Sidhu, K. S. , The Teaching of Mathematics, (FourthEdition), Sterling Publishers, New Delhi, India,1995


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References

Websites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_society

http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Indexes/Babylonians.html

http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Indexes/Egyptians.html


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AWord of Thanks

The author would like to thank the

organizers, especially Dr. Mohamed B.

Rhouma, Sultan Qaboos University,

and Dr. Lotfi Hermi, Arizona University

for inviting him to this International

Conference.


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