People who have expressed to me a wish to travel back in time to visit one era, or one civilization or another, have done so without any thought of the difficulties. First comes the rigorous preparation in language, culture, and technology which would be required. Only scholars with considerable knowledge of the era under investigation could accomplish it. It would be too much for a layman. Also, proper clothing, documents, and currency, or precious metal that could be used as currency, would be needed, and possibly weapons and the training in their use. Some of these things have been made by historical reenactment groups. Even they, however, would be at risk in the cultures that they seek to emulate. The physical dangers could not be underestimated. The time traveler would have little protection against the casual violence of many ancient societies. Nor would reliance upon ancient justice systems be of any help. Assault, imprisonment, and enslavement would be real possibilities in places such as imperial Rome, the Byzantine
3 Comments on Antiquity Corner: Do You Have the Right Stuff for Time Travel?, last added: 1/26/2011
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By: MsLuhks,
on 12/6/2010
Blog: Amsco Extra! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Abstract Thinking, Zero, Properties of Zero, History of Mathematics, Algebra, Mathematics, Add a tag
Smith honors Baghdad’s intellectual contribution to the establishment of zero as a number. Zero deserves her praise for its usefulness as a placeholder (as in the number 306), for its role as the additive identity element (if you add zero to any number, you get that number—in symbols, n + 0 = n for any number n), and for its contribution to the development of calculus. As the late writer David Foster Wallace elegantly claimed, “The invention of calculus was shocking because for a long time it had simply been presumed that you couldn't divide by zero.” Zero is a game-changer, a distinct value, and the barrier between positive and negative.
The richly informative book 100 Greatest Science Inventions of All Time tells the story of Al-Khwarizmi. In 810 A.D., this famous Baghdad mathematician convinced a group of fellow scholars that zero must be a number by demonstrating that zero behaves like a number when subject to common operations. Not only did Al-Khwarizmi thus effectively demonstrate zero as a number, but he also established himself as the founder of algebra.
I love this story because I think it eloquently demonstrates the following dispositi
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By: Uriel Avalos,
on 6/9/2010
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Teach strategies that are “generalizable,” i.e., that apply to a broad range of problems.
I’m not so sure about this one. Designing Effective Mathematics Instruction gives as an example that using a single pizza pie, cookie, or a pie chart (emphasis single) to teach fractions is a bad idea because any single model doesn’t apply to mixed fractions. Instead, the book recommends that you teach proper and improper fractions at the same time.
As I said above, I’m not so sure about this one. The underlying assumption is that students can master both types of fractions at the same time. But shouldn’t you teach pre-skills first? (Isn’t proper fractions a type of pre-concept necessary for understanding improper fractions?) I have the feeling that, in practice, if you try to teach both, you’ll end up focusing on proper fractions first.
I would agree wholeheartedly with this tip if we learned like computers. But we don’t. We humans like to attach meaning to what we do. We work best when we understand underlying concepts. So yes, teach generalizable, efficient strategies but keep Tip #1 in mind. Depending on your class, you may have to teach a less efficient, less generalizable strategy first so that your students have the opportunity to learn underlying concepts.
But what do you think? Leave your comments below.
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Your article about time travel was very interesting. However, after reading it I think that I would prefer to stay with fictional time travel!!
Some of us Christians fantasize about traveling back to the time of Christ. How you described 1st century Rome (i.e., no private baths or shampoo; the high potency of ancient vino) made me feel I was really there.
With my luck, my time capsule would open in the wrong time, and I WOULD wind up stranded somewhere. Or with just an Abe Lincoln five spot in my pocket.
Cindy
My time machine outfits me automatically with the wardrobe and equipment necessary to fit into and enjoy my time-travel destination. You ought to seek an upgraded model.