Articles by author: Jonathan Bartlett
The Mathematical Difference between Wisdom and Science
One of the disturbing trends of the modern era is the blind delegation of all reality-focused ideas to science. The presumption is that if something is real—if one can taste it, touch it, or smell it—then science is the best approach to dealing with that subject. This...
Why Study Calculus?
Many people loathe the idea of calculus. Even the name sounds tedious and difficult. Most people who have to take calculus in college will not use it on a daily basis. So why is calculus an important part of education?
One of the goals of classical education is to...
Mathematics and Theology: The Problem of Quantity and the Importance of the Immaterial
Our current world is obsessed with quantitative thinking. Frankly, I am, too. Numbers are extremely helpful in gauging all sorts of things in life, from the output of the economy to the number of people who show up in church each week. The problem, however, is that in...
Two Great Gifts
Of all the intellectual tools I have been given over the years, there are two that stand out as exceedingly valuable for me. Both of these were bequeathed to me by my parents through the example they set for me; they never taught me these things directly, but I was...
The Mathematics of Theology: Seeing to Infinity
When we think about the world theologically, we are trying to understand the world as God sees it. We usually see the world through very finite lenses—our perspective does not extend beyond the end of our noses. Many people take what their immediate senses tell them,...