Tribute to the AMAZING Shakuntala Devi REACTION!!
Added 2020-07-25 05:01:56 +0000 UTC
Comments
Well said. Her skill is incredible but not sure if that qualifies as a great mathematician.. Like Ramanujan. I am not aware of Ramanujan having such calculating capabilities but his understanding of numbers and his contribution to number theory is truly amazing.
Razor Rasu
2020-07-26 07:07:13 +0000 UTCHello sir, i am your Patreon for quite some time now but i have never asked you to react to something in particular. But this a humble request if you can watch any songs from the movie “Geet Gata Chal” it’s a classic. This movie means a lot to me so i would be glad if you react to any of it’s song. You will not be disappointed. Thank you, RSK
Raman Singh Khosla
2020-07-26 06:17:28 +0000 UTCI'm pretty conflicted about Shakuntala Devi. Obviously, her capacity for mental calculation is beyond impressive, a true testament to human potential. But she is not a great mathematician. A great mathematician makes new discoveries and resolves previously unsolved problems. Devi did none of that. She did not make any impact on the field of mathematics. The problem is that for many Indian people Shakuntala Devi is their exemplar of a mathematician. People know her but they don't know somebody like Neena Gupta, who has actually made concrete contributions to mathematical theory. When Ramanujan (a genuinely great Indian mathematician, mentioned by the professor in this video) was looking for acceptance in the mathematical community, he had to fight against the racist idea prevalent at the time that Indians were good "calculating boys", adept at mental mathematics and so fit to serve as clerks, but incapable of high-level original mathematical research. By idolizing Shakuntala Devi as the epitome of Indian mathematics, we are essentially resuscitating that stereotype. Devi had mind-boggling abilities, but she employed those abilities as a parlour trick, and in pursuit of bogus "sciences" like astrology and numerology, rather than actually contributing to an expanded understanding of mathematics.
Tarun
2020-07-25 18:06:04 +0000 UTC
