BOOK REVIEW THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH BY LEAVITT, DAVID Essay

BOOK REVIEW THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH BY LEAVITT, DAVID - Essay Example In his book The Man Who Knew Too Much: Alan Turing and the Invention of the Computer (Great Discoveries) the author David Leavitt presents his view on mathematics where he discusses the inability of the subject mathematics to penetrate the popular culture. He presents his idea through the life of Alan Turing, the famous mathematician and self-proclaimed homosexual, who decoded the 'enigma' machine during the WWII. The writer argues that where other subjects like literature and law can be discussed with common nonprofessional mathematics on the other hand seems to be subjected for only few that according to the author may be represented as bliss of sixth sense. It is painful for the mathematicians to feel all lonely and is not able to discuss matters of their subject with the commoners as that would not be understandable by anyone. This is a sense of isolation and though however beautiful that the world of mathematics the writer considers this isolation to be difficult to handle. Nevertheless, he is optimistic that with the development of the human intelligence, ultimately all would master the art of mathematics and though he himself refers it as an utopian thought he cannot stop thinking that mathematics should be perceptible by all or at least all should try for that.