论文标题
课程的“非殖民化”和一些相关问题
'Decolonisation' of the curricula and some related issues
论文作者
论文摘要
许多国家 /地区的大学数学承受着“解读课程”的压力。本文认为，作为测试案例，是线性代数的可能的“非殖民化”。这是一个代表性的案例，因为线性代数是本科数学的核心课程之一，也是具有千年历史悠久传统的数学学科。本文是为我的同事，大学数学家写的。我认为，它可以帮助他们确定自己的立场并平静地坚持下去，而无需与“课程非殖民化”的促进者进行不必要的辩论。该论文对“非殖民化”压力提供了简单而诚实的防御：告诉学生特定数学学科的真实历史。让我们称这项活动为“历史丰富”。 如果所有关于“非殖民化”（反之亦然，“历史丰富”）的所有尝试都是数学社区的更广泛的圈子，那将是有用的。宣传和公开讨论是抵制外部压力以牺牲历史和数学真理为代价进行美德信号的最佳方法。 国际数学界应捍卫学术自由，并坚持我们的课程和数学历史，并根据该行业中发展的标准评估过去的数学家历史，并忽略任何形式的政治时尚和压力
University level mathematics in a number of countries is under pressure to `decolonise the curriculum'. This paper considers, as a test case, a possible `decolonisation' of linear algebra. This is a representative case, since linear algebra is one of the core courses of undergraduate mathematics and a mathematical discipline with a millennia long historic tradition. This paper is written for my colleagues, university mathematicians. In my opinion, it could help them to determine their position and calmly stick to it without entering into an unnecessary debate with promoters of `decolonisation of the curricula'. The paper offers a simple and honest defence against `decolonisation' pressures: tell students the real (pre)history of a particular mathematical discipline. Let us call this activity `historical enrichment'. It would be useful if all attempts at `decolonization' (and vice versa, `historical enrichment') were known to a wider circle of the mathematical community. Publicity and an open discussion are the best way to resist outside pressures to engage in virtue signalling at the expense of historical and mathematical truth. The international mathematical community should defend academic freedom and insist on our right to formulate our curricula and evaluate the history of mathematics and judge mathematicians of the past according to criteria developed within the profession, and ignore any kind of political fads and pressure
