Mathematical Simile Mathematical Metaphor

Mathematical simile is the function of virtually all applied math equations for which the public is familiar (usually scientific). For example physics equations are paradigms used to correlate experience. Mathematical models can be made for anything rationally understood and are descriptive of the relationships between the elements described.
A simile is a paradigm. One can see this expressed in the physics equation distance is equal to velocity multiplied by time. When you apply this equation to a situation you realize that this is an approximation even for all practical purposes it accomplishes the task at hand. The bottom line is that it is an approximation even though the equation expresses it as exact. The math equation is exact the application is not. Therefore it is simile ‘our experience of distance is like velocity multiplied by time.’ One may argue that the physics equation is metaphor precisely for the same reason e.g. we are saying that distance is exactly equal to velocity multiplied by time and it is not. Therefore we have a logical tension that creates the metaphor. The next step is to look at the intention of the equation, whether it is intended for connotation or denotation. Clearly physics equations are intended for denotation. Therefore what is really important for us is the intention of the equation. This also illuminates the idea that there are a lot of shades of gray between simile and metaphor yet we don’t usually think in this manner. I know a lot of people that think simile and metaphor are really the same. I believe at some point there is a nonsense threshold that one crosses and you can take it no other way except metaphor. Unfortunately that threshold line can be anywhere on a number line between the concept of simile and metaphor. Personally I see that threshold very close to simile. That is as soon as it starts getting nonsensical I consider it metaphor.

The visual image presented takes the following simile and expresses it as metaphor.

Although it may or may not be universally true I find that a man’s intelligence is inversely proportional to the levels of alcohol and testosterone in his system. I gave a lecture last week to a group of art students from Santa Ana Art Institute (Thank you Professor Ben Miles) and when I proposed this statement I got a bunch of laughs and a lot of nodding heads. Consequentially I believe there is some truth in there.

Humor

Tim Repp sent me this little mathpo related humor

Synecdochical Physics

I was inspired by conversations with The Mathematician Paul Gailiunas and a blog entry of Visual Poet Geof Huth to produce some synecdoche physics equations.


syn·ec·do·che n. Listen:
A figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole (as hand for sailor), the whole for a part (as the law for police officer), the specific for the general (as cutthroat for assassin), the general for the specific (as thief for pickpocket), or the material for the thing made from it (as steel for sword).

Whereas in all of the equations the variables, for the physics equations, have been replaced with a synecdoche counter part not all of the equations as a whole could be considered synecdochical. All of them but one created a synecdochical equation.

Newton’s equation on gravity is actually a metaphor. That is due to the fact that the force variable (replaced by attraction) in the mathpoem does not pertain to gravity but is in reference to the attraction caused by hunger. If it were pertaining to gravity then the equation would be synecdochical however anything else makes the equation a metaphor.

http://dbqp.blogspot.com/2005/10/synechdoche-explained.html

A picture is worth a thousand words

Math Poets

I have been delinquent in making entries into the blog but finally I have put some links into the link section. Besides myself I have added a link to a couple of Bob Grumman's pages and one to a Page of Scott Helms. Of all of Bobs Work my favorite is the one above. Bob and I seem to be the only people in the English speaking world who continue to focus on Mathematical Poetry or Math-Po If there are others please let me know. There are others who have done work in Visual Poetry and call their work Mathematical Poetry Karl Kempton is one who has done some very interesting Visual Poetry Using Mathematical operations on text. I would guess that the authority on how Math has been used in Visual Poetry would be Bob Grumman or Possibly Geof Huth. Geof is my focal point on the world of Visual Poetry. The depth of information Geof covers is astounding.
While I am on the subject of Visual Poetry I would like to mention I really like the selected poems by Michael P. Garofalo

What is mathematical poetry

Mathematical poetry is an artistic expression created by performing mathematical operations on words or images as if they were numbers. One may find this baffling because it seems we are being confused about the states of quality versus quantity. But it is through the fusion of this dichotomy that mathematical metaphor is spawned. Historically speaking we believe that math has never been intended for metaphor. We intend to change that. By blending the wondrous aesthetics of mathematics with enigmatic aesthetics of art we intend to bridge the gap between the infinite and the concrete.

The purpose of this blog is to promote interest in mathematical poetry.

If you are interested in mathematical poetry and know others who are mathematical poets please turn us on to them. I would like to invite all to comment on anything pertaining to mathematical poetry.