Reflection - Mathematics, the language of the universe

Ready for Take Off! Maths is Omnipresent

This video is a thought provoking exploration of math's stupefying power across the centuries. We discover math's signature in the swirl of a nautilus shell, the whirlpool of a galaxy, and the spiral in the center of a sunflower.



Math has been indispensable to everything from the foremost wireless radio transmissions to the prediction and discovery of the Higgs boson and the successful landing of rovers on Mars.

There is a credible cast of mathematicians, physicists, and engineers, who follow math from Pythagoras to Einstein and beyond. All this leads to the gobsmacking question: Is math a human invention(a clever trick) or the discovery of the language of the universe?

 Whether we think we're good with numbers or not, we all use math in our
daily lives. This video sheds fascinating light on how math works in our brains and ponders the ultimate mystery of why it works so well when decoding the universe.

Mathematics and the idea that nature is governed by mathematical laws is a human invention based upon the creation of an abstract world that exists only in our minds as human imagination and not as actual physical reality.

For Instance, we are supposed to believe that air resistance does not exist, and if we do experiments in which there is no air, we will find that different bodies all fall at the same rate. But in real world where air resistance actually does exist if we drop a feather and a hammer, as they do in the video, the feather falls slowly because of air resistance. In the video, we are told to simply ignore this fact as being wrong. That is we are supposed to say the fact is irrelevant and agree that the assumption of no air resistance is the correct law of physics. This is an example of deception, because we are told that Aristotle was wrong. He is only wrong if we don’t agree with the mathematical law for a falling feather. In the case of a falling feather Aristotle gives us a better answer than Galileo does.
Unfortunately, we find that upon examining, the scientific method we discover that so called scientific laws of nature are abstract reproductions that rarely exist in the real world.

The Language of Universe video pretends to be asking the question: Is mathematics a human invention or a deeply mysterious facet of the universe. The obvious conclusion is that mathematics is a human invention and that invention persists as a mystery, because we humans have invested a kind of godlike property in the idea of mathematics as the fundamental reality of the universe.


The video leaves the question unanswered, but strongly implies that nature is mathematical. This idea is supported by the effectiveness of the method of modern science, which appears to prove the unreasonable efficency of mathematics in making predictions about nature.

In the ending, it is shown that the scientific method itself is flawed, because the human illusion that nature is mathematical is a self fulfilling type of illusion.  Humans want to believe that nature is deeply mathematical in whatever we search for and find evidence that upholds/confirms that this is true. But such discoveries are just illusions created by the desire of the human mind to find mathematical order we experience in the real world.

My tummy is full but this video was totally brain food!!! Thanks Ma'am & Rajib Sir.

Review/ Relection of "Freedom Writers", a teacher's endeavour

Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank did a terrific job as always!

Everyone who remembers his/her own educational experience remembers teachers, not methods and techniques the others followed.

This movie is based on a true story of at-risk students attending Woodrow Wilson High in Long Beach, a voluntarily integrated school.


This movie is showcased for Philosophy/ Psychology classes because cultural differences can not only be perceived, but one actually is able to feel how and why the different students act the way that they do.

By watching this we relate the essential truth about education: Most students have a voice if a teacher can find it.

Most students can thrive when a teacher creates a sense of family amid chaos, as Emily Gruwell did in the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles in 1990's. The diaries her students wrote inspired students around the country to do the same.

Hilary Swank who played Ms. Gruwell, became the angel and gave her students the 'life chance' that they are supposed to have, even with all the conflicts of the world. She taught them to understand that they are not alone and that there are always some who are even more unfortunate than them.


Gruwell sacrifices, as cases of true love sometimes require, her personal freedom and loses her marriage for the higher good of the young people she teaches. Admittedly, her slacker husband, Scott (Patrick Dempsey), doesn't deserve such a gifted wife, and her crusty dad, Steve (a monumentally weathered Scott Glenn), has some stereotypical responses to his daughter's choices. Most of all I object to those actors as students: They are way too old to be playing 14 and 15 year olds. But they too did play their parts well.

The lessons in this movie are beyond powerful. How do you reach and teach students who are only trying to survive? How do you create trust when these students hate you just because of your skin colour? How do you work with bureaucracy(District Education Officer/ Education Senator of State)? Erin had to face all this, in her first year of teaching no less.

There was sensitivity, empathy, and reality to this inspirational cinematic portrayal of a woman who didn't give up on her students.

To conceptualise, this film rings true about the magic a dedicated teacher can do with rebellious but malleable teens. As you notice many kids change their attitude towards education in their  freshmn/ sophomore year you begin to adore them more and more.

 Freedom Writers reminds us why we love a profession that gives us a chance to save souls in the only way we can- make them better citizens of the world. This film is a superior entry in a long history of teaching brought to its ideal display in film. 

Watching this gem with my fellow student-teachers generated in me awe & pride as to why ours is rightly called a Noble Profession.

Engagement 1

Reflection on "Obsolete/Orthodox Teachers in Engineering Colleges"

"What is a machine?"
Mr. Rigid Engineeringg Professor, we know Machines but you seem to be a slave of Archaic Society.

CLIP 2.  3 IDIOTS, Workshop scene

This scene deals with present education system in India(Circa 2009) where getting more marks & better grades is superior to gaining knowledge/ Skill & cramming up concepts is of more utility than understanding what it means.

This simple clip embodies how creative thinking is frowned upon in engineering colleges where as non- sensible cramming is not only recommended by professors but also praised.

Truth is showcased here: economically backward undergards committing suicides, mercenary professors devoid of encouragement, no support for creative talents who can really change society for good. Are graduates supposed to learn by exploring or refurnish stacked notes of repeating answers?

Not only are we entertained, we are also enlightened. The shortcomings, demerits of cognitive learning system is not openly exposed but also elevated to such a level  that cold-hearted staunch rote learners would cringe at many scenes.

Now that I have come of age & reaching my mid 20's I am able to appreciate the effort of such people who strive for making education fun & worthwile. If you praise crammers then you should also talk about a 'book' in a defnitive jargon filled exagerratingly technical way. Why keep it simple?

Ha ha he he..... Sorry, but this clip is unbelievably funny. The analogy of a zipper as a simple machine is superb yet observant. The claasroom dynamics, giggles, humility, embarassment, rebellion, sarcasm are on target here. The message is conveyed wrapped in a hilarious assortment of routine glooms and joys of engineer grad students. Not just food for thought but for your funny bone too.

We do have a sense of humour along with a fuuny bone, right?

Or are we a system of interconnected organs constrained to change input into output like pulleys, levers, gear, axles, lathes........making hum dum noises.

We have to avoid becoming exactly the kind of a teacher that is ridiculed here.
All is well.

Reflection on "Potrayal of Teachers in Movies"

 Appreciation of Teachers in Movies/Films/ Motion pictures

CLIP 1.  DEAD POETS SOCIETY

Dead poets society is an uplifting, inspiring film that also showcases moral values.

Professor John Keating(Robin williams) is that kind of an educator who is cool, respectable, cheerful
yet leaves a lasting impression on every student whom he takes under his wing.
Much like Rajib Sir who has enlightened us & sparked in us the creative hunger to metamorphise ourselves into Charismatic teachers, Keating here does the same.

What we grasp from this clip is that we have the responsibility & joy of being alive. We have precious little time to make a difference.
We have a moral obligation to Carpe Diem-"Seize the day & make it extraordinary."

No only keating touches your heart, brings tears, he also inspires us to be a better teacher to those under our supervision. This is undoubtedly Poetry on Screen.

In short, we are mesmerised to be in the influence of Professor Keating so we must dare to stand up for our beliefs.