Bookraft

Immanuel Kant got it right . Phenomena exist only insofar as the mind perceives them as concepts. All our concepts derive from some a-priori knowledge. This a-priori knowledge is now being broken down and identified as "mental modules". Or more explicitly, areas of the brain that are able to function from the earlist days of birth with little or no training yet perform basic recognition tasks. The Math Gene explores some of these elementary mental processing capabilities - and specifically the ones clustering around math skills and capability.

So The Math Gene by Keith Devlin is really about math ability . However it is not, given all the excitement and work in DNA analysis and genetic sequencing, about specific genes that can be traced to mathematical ability. All potential readers and mating specialists looking for insights on how to get math skills for your progeny - stop reading this review and look for another book. But for those fascinated with the nature and origin of basic math proficiency including the uncovering of basic math ability in new borns - read on MacDuff.

The book is full of fascinating experimental results to do with simple counting and reasoning about comparative numbers. Even such giants of psychology such as Piaget have their theories on the development of number concepts in children slightly re-adjusted. For example, Devlin describes experiments in which new borns clearly direct attention to changes in numbers of objects shown to them. Flash a slide of two objects and the child shows interest thru a number of measures. Then show a sucession of others slides with two objects and the interest wanes until a slide with one object is shown at which point the baby's interest picks up again.

Or on page 30, experimenters show a variation of Piagets experiments on the onset of number counting comprehension in children. The experiment works such that if 2-5 year olds are asked to choose whichever of two lines of M&Ms for eating, they invariably pick the line with the greatest number of M&Ms. Even if the line with 6 M&Ms is made considerably shorter than the longer one but with only 4 M&Ms. When it counts - you can't fool the kids. This result topples some of Piagets earlier experimental results on the nature and onset of number comprehension in children.

But Devlin does not stop here he goes into Chomsky's Deep Structure of language theory and the nature of gossip to ferret out basic math reasonings and skills. The style is imminently readable and the references ample for those who want to follow up on a mathemetical line or notion in more detail. In sum ... well I won't give the whole plot line away.