Orthogonality and rotation of coordinate systems compared. Left: Rotation in Euclidean space through circular angle φ. Right: Rotation in Minkowski spacetime through hyperbolic angle φ. Figure by Maschen. Licensed under CC0. Link to original.

Axioms

In mathematics and physics, axioms are propositions that are assumed to be true. The mathematician Federico Ardila-Mantilla has written four axioms that guide the work he does in education and outreach. Federico's axioms resonate strongly with me. They are:

  1. Mathematical [and physics] potential is distributed equally among different groups, irrespective of geographic, demographic, and economic boundaries.
  2. Everyone can have joyful, meaningful, and empowering mathematical [and physics] experiences.
  3. Mathematics [and physics are] a powerful, malleable tools that can be shaped and used differently by various communities to serve their needs.
  4. Every student deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

Community Agreement

Taking the above axioms as a starting point, let's think about what type of community we want to create this term. Here is a community agreement based on one written by Federico Ardila-Mantilla.

This course aims to offer a joyful, meaningful, and empowering experience to every participant; we will build that rich experience together by devoting our strongest available effort to the class. You will be challenged and supported. Please be prepared to take an active, critical, patient, creative, and generous role in your own learning and that of your classmates.




The building in which we gather for this class, and all of College of the Atlantic, is located on traditional lands of the Wabanaki people. The Native American tribes in Maine today include the Abenaki, Maliseet, Micmac, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy, collectively referred to as the Wabanaki. I believe it is important to acknowledge that our presence on this land entangles us in the web of colonialism, past and present. The future, however, is still unwritten.