The Unlikely Power of Uncertainty and Contradiction in Mathematics

Explore the power of uncertainty and contradiction in mathematics through this Santa Fe Institute Community Lecture by Jordan S. Ellenberg. Delve into how the gray areas of math provide powerful tools for thinking about non-mathematical aspects of life. Discover wide-ranging examples including disease modeling, Nate Silver's election predictions, irrational numbers, and Theodore Roosevelt's policies. Learn how mathematical concepts can illuminate complex real-world issues and challenge the notion of math as a discipline of absolute certainty. Gain insights from Ellenberg, a distinguished mathematician and author, as he discusses the hidden powers of mathematics and its applications in everyday life.

Introduction
The Summer Job
Abraham Wald
Teddy Roosevelt
Nate Silver
Traditional political punditry
Nate Silvers approach
The 2012 election
John Ashbery
Action Not Being Sure
Nate Silver in Elections
Florida
I always think Im right
Stem
Math
Contradiction
Scott Fitzgerald
Pythagorean Theorem
Proof by Contradiction
Failure is not always bad
The mathematical world
David Foster Wallace
Question
Humility
Quantitative Predictive Prediction
Thinking Mathematically
Probability