Pure Mathematics as Applied Physics with Tadashi Tokieda

Humans tend to be better at physics than at mathematics.  When an apple falls from a tree, there are more people who can catch it — they sense physically how the apple moves — than people who can compute its trajectory from a differential equation.  Applying physical ideas to discover and explain mathematical results is therefore natural, even if it has seldom been tried in the history of science.  The exceptions include Archimedes, some old Russian sources, a recent book of Mark Levi’s, as well as articles and lectures by yours truly.  Many examples will be presented.

Tadashi Tokieda is a professor of mathematics at Stanford.  He grew up in Japan as a painter, became a classical philologist (not to be confused with philosopher) in France, worked a little as a plumber, before earning a PhD in pure mathematics from Princeton then practicing applied mathematics throughout the world.  Active in outreach, especially via the YouTube channel Numberphile, he gave public lectures at the quadrennial International Congress of Mathematicians 2018, 2022, and is slated to speak again at the ICM 2026.