Article Review
A Phenomenological Exploration of Mathematical Engagement:
Approaching an Old Metaphor anew.
For the Learning of Mathematics
 |
| From hicagowaldorf.org |
From: Handa Y.
(2003). A Phenomenological
Exploration of Mathematical Engagement: Approaching an Old Metaphor anew. For the Learning of Mathematics, 23 (1):
pp. 22-29
The
article “A Phenomenological Exploration of Mathematical Engagement: Approaching
an Old Metaphor anew” written by Handa Yuichi deals with the possibilities
offered by mathematics for the person. The author describes an experience of
learning mathematics which resulted in self-opening, deepening and lived
experience. In order to study this process he sets forth the questions to be
answered in the article and carries out experiment on five people.
Handa
Yuichi discusses different notions which he presents in the form of threads to
be followed by the readers and adherents. He gives comprehensive and clear
explanations of the notions by means of illustrating situations taken from real
life. Such notion as “frustration as deception” is explained on the example of
the talk with a professional mathematician.
In addition, he implements a notion
of circle which is the base of his proofs and is the main symbol of the theory.
Special attention is paid at “pushing over the edge” which the author supports
by his own examples from his student’s life. It makes the analyzed article
interesting and appealing to the audience.
“Frustration
as disappointment” is the other notion introduced by Handa which is also
explained on the ground of his own experience. Moreover, he uses the works of
different scientists to prove his idea, for example, biologist T.H. Huxley.
It
should be mentioned that the analyzed article is special because of the great
amount of images used by the author to show his view. Moreover, he uses
metaphors for showing mathematical problems and in order to keep thinking of
them. Along with the metaphors, Handa makes his article bright by means of many
citations and dialogues. Such form of
explanation of difficult notions is perceived as an interesting story and
deductive material at the same time.
Thus
Handa Yuichi comes to the conclusion that mathematical engagement is meant in
the engagement itself. In other words, it means that “becoming connected to the
other one transcends the self”. Even these
explanations have been taken by the author as a citation and after explained on
the base of his own experience and opinion. The article which is analyzed requires
great attention due to its rich presentation of the material and big amount of
sources used by the author. The broad use of metaphors and other literary means
in the scientific text on mathematics makes this article interesting and
special at the same time.
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