The Mathematics Enthusiast: A Special Issue on Liberal Arts Mathematics
Andrei Rodin
Call for Papers
Special Issue of The Mathematics Enthusiast
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/tme/
on Liberal Arts Mathematics
Invited Editor: Andrei Rodin (Smolny Beyond Borders)(andreir...@gmail.com )
Liberal Arts Mathematics (LAM) emerged as a pedagogical concept roughly a century ago. A
symbolic point of origin can be taken to be 1911, when A. N. Whitehead published Introduction to
Mathematics—a work that informally presented foundational mathematical concepts but offered little
in the way of technical skill-building. Throughout the twentieth century and into the present,
mathematical articles, books, and textbooks produced under the banner of Liberal Arts have been
remarkably diverse. Some emphasize logical foundations; others highlight the humanistic and cultural
dimensions of mathematics, its history, its aesthetic, social, political, or economic significance. What
unites this diverse literature is a shared humanistic perspective on mathematics and mathematics
education.
The contemporary challenge posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Mathematics Education arguably
gives LAM more relevance than ever. Since AI now systematically outperforms even our strongest
mathematics students in technical problem-solving, it is natural—indeed necessary—to refocus on the
properly humanistic aspects of learning mathematics, which have traditionally been emphasized and
developed within LAM.
The purpose of this Special Issue of The Mathematics Enthusiast is to present the current landscape of
LAM, reflect on its conceptual foundations and historical development, and explore its future
trajectories within the context of AI-powered Mathematics Education. We invite submissions
addressing all aspects of Liberal Arts Mathematics, both theoretical and practical. Topics may
include, but are not limited to:
• Humanistic aspects of Mathematics Education and AI
• Social and political dimensions of Mathematics Education: Can or should Mathematics
Education be ethically and politically neutral?
• History of Mathematics in Mathematics Education
• Philosophy of Mathematics in Mathematics Education
• The past and future of Liberal Arts Mathematics
• Case studies in LAM
Please submit your manuscript to
andreir...@gmail.com (Andrei Rodin)