“Hands up if you think 3 is a prime number. Keeps your hands raised if you think that 3 has always been a prime number.” So began science fiction author Neal Stephenson’s lecture at MIT. Those people who still had their hands up were Mathematical Platonists, those who didn’t, weren’t. A mathematical platonist, according to Stephenson, is someone who believes that numbers and mathematical concepts are eternal and unchanging. Supposedly, this is how most people think. Stephenson divided people like this:
He was talking about these concepts in an attempt to explain the thinking behind his new book, Anathem. There then followed a slightly rambling, difficult to hear, race through 200 years of metaphysics. Parts of it were interesting but it never really gave you an insight into what to expect from the book. (Supposedly he decided to ditch his normal speech because he thought MIT students would want something more than just him reading a few excerpts from his book.).
Still, he took questions at the end and there were a few interesting tidbits there. Supposedly Snow Crash was the “last gasp of a failed literary career.” He said it was full of pieces from a series of failed projects and because he “didn’t care” he decided to include lots of far out ideas, including the name of the main character, Hiro Protagonist. It was an interesting – but too brief – insight into one of his most successful books.
the mit atom 