A math education professor at the University of Illinois argued in a newly published book that algebraic and geometry skills perpetuate “unearned privilege” among whites because terms like “Pythagorean theorem and pi” give the impression that math “was largely developed by Greeks and other Europeans”.
Fine. What’s the Swahili word for 3.14?
Well, sure, Greeks invented math – and even the word “mathematics” – but they totally culturally appropriated numbers from the ancient Indian Hindus, Sumerians and Egyptians, the oppressive b@stards. I mean, come on, they’re called Arabic numerals!! No wonder Obama had to re-direct NASA’s priority from exploring space to an earnest effort “to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science … and math and engineering.” [Charles Bolden, former NASA Administrator and former astronaut.] What’s more important, exploring the solar system, or filling people with unwarranted pride for the accomplishments of people who lived in the same general part of the world under wholly different cultural systems millennia ago? Yeah, I thought so.
I could excuse some gender studies professor on this but a MATH professor? WTF! While it is arguable that many people other than Greeks have advanced the knowledge of the field of mathematics over the centuries there is a very sound and fundamental reason Pythagoras might give the impression of being Greek. IF I may quote Wikipedia.
“Pythagoras of Samos (US: /pɪˈθæɡərəs/;[1] UK: /paɪˈθæɡərəs/;[2] Greek: Πυθαγόρας ὁ Σάμιος Pythagóras ho Sámios “Pythagoras the Samian”, or simply Πυθαγόρας; Πυθαγόρης in Ionian Greek; c. 570–495 BC)[3][4] was an Ionian Greek philosopher, mathematician, and putative founder of the Pythagoreanism movement. He is often revered as a great mathematician and scientist and is best known for the Pythagorean theorem which bears his name.”
I don’t know maybe he was really a Cherokee Indian.
A language education professor at the University of Illinois argued in a newly published book that English and English language skills perpetuate “unearned privilege” among whites because terms like “Good morning, how are you, and the usual answer…I’m fine.” give the impression that the English language “was largely developed by English people and other Europeans.”