The Nature and Development of Mathematics: Cross Disciplinary Perspectives on Cognition, Learning and Culture

The Nature and Development of Mathematics explores the mystery of number, including perspectives from anthropology, education, and psychology, and addresses three core questions: Is math natural? What is the impact of culture and environment on mathematical thinking? And how can we improve our mathematical ability?

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 252 pages
Publication date: 21 January 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

From an infant's earliest grasp of quantity to Einstein's theory of relativity, the human experience of number has fascinated researchers for centuries. Numeracy and mathematics have played fundamental roles in the development of societies and civilizations, yet there remains an essential mystery to these concepts, evidenced by the fear many people still feel when confronted by seemingly simple sums.

Including perspectives from anthropology, education, and psychology, The Nature and Development of Mathematics addresses three core questions: Is math natural? What is the impact of our culture and environment on mathematical thinking? And how can we improve our mathematical ability? Examining the cognitive processes that we use, the origins of these skills, and their cultural context, and how learning and teaching can be supported in the classroom, the book contextualizes each issue within the wider field, arguing that only by taking a cross-disciplinary perspective can we fully understand what it means to be numerate, as well as how we become numerate in our modern world.

This is a unique collection, including contributions from a range of renowned international researchers. It will be of interest to students and researchers across cognitive psychology, cultural anthropology, and educational research.

Weight: 470g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032476889