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--- 21911735
My favourite part was when she said “Its mathin’ time” and mathed all over those guys. What did you think?
--- 21911757
>reddit meme
--- 21911833
>>21911735 (OP)
shut the fuck up
--- 21911841
>>21911826
git gud scrub
--- 21911861
>>21911826
It is unlike any of that trash. It's good.
--- 21911891
>>21911735 (OP)
Did anyone see that long interview on youtube, where they spend most of the time talking about his relationship with mathematicians?

I was kind of annoyed because I wanted to hear about literature and his writing, but at the same time Im a maths student and I felt like I was being called out for not studying.
--- 21911920
>>21911891
Deep art, analytical philosophy and abstract mathematics are very similar yet different fields. All 3 rely on deep intuition and powerful imagination. That's what McCarthy is getting at. That's why he is so much better at handling mathematics than physics (The Passenger). It reminded me, curiously, of this. When she talks with the post-graduate and the professor:
https://youtu.be/Vp570S6Plt8 [Embed]
--- 21912107
>>21911920
Physics is just applied mathematics, chemistry is also just applied mathematics. Everything is just mathematics 
t. unbiased mathematician
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>>21912107
Mathematics is just applied devotion.
--- 21912385
>>21911891
He must have some rule where he never discusses his work
--- 21912386
>>21912107
Physics wants to be mathematics and leans on it pretty hard. But it never really bridges the cognitive gap.
--- 21912420
>>21912362
--- 21912467
>>21912420
no u
--- 21912819
>>21911735 (OP)
What is supposed to be the title? Cormac McCarthy or Stella Maris?
--- 21913368
>>21912819
The book is Cormac McCarthy by Stella Maris
--- 21913472
>>21911735 (OP)
I coomed, topologically.
--- 21913695
>>21912385
his first ex-wife says while they were living in a dairy barn he would get offers from universities to talk about his books (for 2,000 dollars typically) and he would tell them everything that needed to be said was on the page and they would have to eat beans for another night. it was his editor's request when he retired that he finally start doing interviews, but you can tell he's not fond of discussing the books.
--- 21915132
The book Gerald Murnane wishes he could write.
--- 21915138
>>21915132
Wut?
--- 21915752
>>21912819
It’s a collection of two separate books actually, one being called “Stella Maris”, the other “Cormac McCarthy”.
The name of the author is PULITZER PRICE WINNING AUTHOR OF THE ROAD.
It’s a Native American name
--- 21915891
This is not a shot at McCarthy, as I haven't read the book, but I wish non-mathematicians would stop putting the subject on a pedestal. Math is not magical, nor is understanding math unattainable.
--- 21915896
>>21915891
Cope
--- 21915929
>>21911735 (OP)
That meme is the quintessential tranny/reddit/twitter meme and I turned my VPN off just to post that I really think you should at least contemplate suicide tonight.
--- 21915935
>>21915891
Math is a wide field and McCarthy knows by heart the subject he is handling. Look up Topoi.
--- 21915966
>>21915896
Cope? I have an Erdos number of 4.
--- 21915984
>>21915935
Okay? I'm not talking about the book (as I mentioned, I haven't read it yet). I'm talking about people needlessly putting math on a pedestal when they, with a little effort, could grasp concepts that seem mystical (but aren't at all) or far away.
--- 21916007
>>21915984
Base level math is accessible. What about ZFC, Abstract algebra, Topology, category theory, even mathematical logic reveals some absolutely perception challenging concepts (Gödel's Incompleteness theorem one of the most famous among them)? It is the most respected Science for a reason, even if part of the reason is the snobbish fact that most aren't good enough at it.
--- 21916798
>>21912386
lmao you just love to see people on a literature board attempt to speak properly about mathematics and physics.
--- 21916805
>>21916798
I post on /sci/ too.
--- 21916826
>>21916805
and?
--- 21916946
>>21916826
but?
--- 21917826
>>21916946
so?
--- 21918907
>>21916007
NTA but why did you call math a science ? its not
--- 21918917
>>21915984
People put math on a pedestal because it is the opposite of mystical and is based on almost pure reasoning. Mystical mathematics would be numerology etc and that is what people associated with math.
--- 21918940
>>21918917
You are looking at it the wrong way. Even some mathematicians view math as mystical because it reveals possibilities and constructs that are so separated from physical reality yet are able to define/dictate it so accurately. The placeholder term is "beauty of math". Mysticism isn't someone's fantasy, it has its own logic. Maybe it is not digestible to many now, but it is similar to math in that both burrow deep into their constraints of logic to map contours of the world.
--- 21919093
>>21915984
I agree to a large extent. There is a cultural tendency, at least in the US, where being good at or liking math is seen as uncool. Most people can learn basic math if they try. They can learn to *do* calculus problems even. But actually understanding math at the research level I believe is nearly impossible for most people. I studied computer science and did well, but I was absolutely filtered, along with 99% of my class, at a real math class (proof-based real analysis). That kind of thinking requires a special sort of mind.
--- 21919100
>>21911735 (OP)
Are these worth buying/reading? What's the genre? I'm not getting a "feel" of them from the basic premise. Are they NCFOM 2.0: Math & Physics Edition?
--- 21919101
>>21919100
Stella Maris is all dialogue.
--- 21919106
>>21919101
But what's it about? What's the "message"? I've become wary of novels as a timesink as of late and want a better feel of them before I drop 50€.
--- 21919119
>>21911735 (OP)
God damn was it depressing to witness her crumble toward the end. So isolated in this world, convinced only of a solipsistic existence. Why did she tie the red sash? It's a final plea for a world outside her mind—for her to be witnessed. Just heartbreaking.
--- 21919150
>>21919106
Language is a parasite on the subconscious; if you're the supersmartest you become the superdepressedest.
--- 21919183
>>21912386
>Physics wants to be mathematics and leans on it pretty hard. But it never really bridges the cognitive gap.
mathematics is just a syntax game
--- 21919202
>>21919150
Eh, seems trite desu. I don't even get why people have this notion. There's so, so much we don't know. If I was superultramegagigasmart I'd be glad that I had so many things to do with my life, and only be sad that I wouldn't get the whole picture because I'd eventually have to die. But the whole
>depressed genius 
thing never made sense to me. Unironically it's why I like American comic books. The supergenius there are all GigaThads who both have adventures and uncover cosmic secrets. Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man, Doctor Doom; I love that type of character, and you basically only find them in comic books and pulps. I don't understand why literature is so in love with taking talent and turning it into something depressing.
--- 21919228
>>21919183
Lmao. Read the book. Real Math isn't done with equations. In topology, not even with numbers. 
>>21919202
The books mourn are inability to ever know, or even know that we are right in saying we don't know.
--- 21919234
>>21919202
>If I was superultramegagigasmart I'd be glad that I had so many things to do with my life, and only be sad that I wouldn't get the whole picture because I'd eventually have to die.
You should really read The Passenger and Stella Maris. McCarthy seems to imply that genius is a physical incurable defect, which is why Bobby is ultimately able to cope with his life while Alicia couldn't. You're are looking from the outside in. The books are written from the inside.
--- 21919270
>>21919100
>>21919202
>The Passenger
Among McCarthy's books it's most similar to Suttree. The main character goes here, talks to some people, goes there, talks to some other people. Sometimes these conversations relate to the plot, as much as there is one, and sometimes they're just offered as objects of interest themselves. One such is a ~10 page history of quantum mechanics told humanizingly from the perspective of the personalities involved which apparently filtered many readers. If this is the sort of thing that will make you angry, but you still might want to read the book, you can safely skip that part. Generally, it's a book you can live in. These episodes are funny or intriguing or poignant or even beautiful. You will not be gripped by any plot, but perhaps by the way the protagonist's conditions and memories swirl and collapse, exposing the sources of his grief. And the prose itself is excellent and full of delightful metaphorical invention.
>Stella Maris
This is an entirely different type of book from the Passenger. It's much less of a story. Pure dialogue, topics covered include philosophy of mathematics, history of mathematics, solipsism, linguistics, and music. Some flashbacks relevant to the broader story there as well (told through dialogue). It's all somewhat interesting, sometimes frustrating (I'm someone who knows some of this stuff, and the explanations were sometimes of the type *understandable only to those who already understand*). There are shocking bits, and some poignant ones. It's a quick read. Before reading either, I'd recommend checking out his 2017 non-fiction essay the Kekule problem. The idea there is pretty prominent in these books.
--- 21919483
>>21919228
>>21919234
>>21919270
I see. Well, it sounds interesting enough phrased like that. I'll surely try them sometime soon. Thanks for taking the time anons.
--- 21920246
>>21915891
>Math is not magical
dumb materialist. go watch cartoons and jerk off
--- 21921640
>>21920246
define magical