Kommentar: Lige da du troede, at radikale venstreorienterede ideer prægede af kritisk raceteori havde nået sit højdepunkt i det absurde og bizarre ...
Vi har tidligere diskuteret synspunktet fra University of Rhode Island og direktør for Graduate Studies of History Erik Loomis, at 'Videnskab, statistik og teknologi er alle i sagens natur racistiske.'
Andre har tilsluttet sig dette synspunkt, herunder at fordømme matematik som racistisk eller som et 'hvidhedsværktøj'.
Nu, som en del af dets 'afkoloniserings'-bestræbelser, opfordrer Durham University professorer i matematikafdelingen til at spørge sig selv, om de citerer arbejde fra 'for det meste hvide eller mandlige' matematikere.
Ifølge Telegraph og The College Fix instruerer en guide fakultetet, at 'afkolonisering af den matematiske læseplan betyder at overveje den kulturelle oprindelse af de matematiske begreber, fokus og notation, vi oftest bruger.' Det tilføjer:
'[Spørgsmålet om, hvorvidt vi har tilladt vestlige matematikere at dominere i vores disciplin, er ikke mindre relevant, end om vi har tilladt vestlige forfattere at dominere litteraturområdet. Det kan endda være vigtigere, om ikke andet fordi matematik er noget mere central for videnskabens fremskridt end litteraturen.'
Kommentar: Delvist oversat af Sott.net fra "Decolonising math": Durham University asks professors to consider the race of mathematicians before relying on their work
Some professors have objected to being asked to consider the race or gender of mathematicians rather than their underlying theories or formulas.
In the Telegraph article, Exeter University Social Science Professor Doug Stokes is quoted as saying that "[t]he idea behind decolonising maths is that because everyone should be regarded as equal, the status of their beliefs must also be equal."
He denounces that view as "judgmental relativism is an inversion of science that is based on what is real rather than making everybody feel included."
But all ideas are not equal, particularly math. Some literally do not add up. Math is inherently objective and based on provable tenets or theories. As I discussed earlier, it is a shame to see math treated as a field of privilege when many of us view it as a field of pure intellectual pursuit and bias neutrality. Either the math is there or it is not. The race of the mathematician will not change the outcome.
The Durham University guide insists that academics need to not only consider what theories to apply but the race of the theoreticians to "decolonize" math. It does not state how a failure to do so will impact on a professor's retention or advancement at the university.
Kommentar: Its as though there were massive political, social and cultural forces that just don't want people to have an objective understanding of math! Just see the following movements and trends: