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Constitutional Calculus: The Math of Justice and the Myth of Common Sense
Jeff Suzuki
€ 43.74
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Description for Constitutional Calculus: The Math of Justice and the Myth of Common Sense
Hardback. Whether you are fascinated by history, math, social justice, or government, your interest will be piqued and satisfied by the convincing case Suzuki makes. Num Pages: 296 pages, 8, 7 black & white line drawings, 1 maps. BIC Classification: 1KBB; JPHC; LA; PBW. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational. Dimension: 240 x 161 x 29. Weight in Grams: 532.
How should we count the population of the United States? What would happen if we replaced the electoral college with a direct popular vote? What are the consequences of allowing unlimited partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts? Can six-person juries yield verdicts consistent with the needs of justice? Is it racist to stop and frisk minorities at a higher rate than non-minorities? These and other questions have long been the subject of legal and political debate and are routinely decided by lawyers, politicians, judges, and voters, mostly through an appeal to common sense and tradition. But mathematician Jeff Suzuki asserts that common sense is not so common, and traditions developed long ago in what was a mostly rural, mostly agricultural, mostly isolated nation of three million might not apply to a mostly urban, mostly industrial, mostly global nation of three hundred million. In Constitutional Calculus, Suzuki guides us through the U.S. Constitution and American history to show how mathematics reveals our flaws, finds the answers we need, and moves us closer to our ideals. From the first presidential veto to the debate over mandatory drug testing, the National Security Agency's surveillance program, and the fate of death row inmates, Suzuki draws us into real-world debates and then reveals how math offers a superior compass for decision-making. Relying on iconic cases, including the convictions of the Scottsboro boys, League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry, and Floyd v. City of New York, Suzuki shows that more math can lead to better justice, greater fairness, and a more stable democracy. Whether you are fascinated by history, math, social justice, or government, your interest will be piqued and satisfied by the convincing case Suzuki makes.
Product Details
Format
Hardback
Publication date
2015
Publisher
Johns Hopkins University Press
Condition
New
Number of Pages
296
Place of Publication
Baltimore, MD, United States
ISBN
9781421415956
SKU
V9781421415956
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 15 to 20 working days
Ref
99-50
About Jeff Suzuki
Jeff Suzuki is an associate professor of mathematics at Brooklyn College. He is the author of Mathematics in Historical Context and A History of Mathematics.
Reviews for Constitutional Calculus: The Math of Justice and the Myth of Common Sense
A breath of fresh air. It was a reaffirmation that mathematics should be used more often to make general public policy.
Charles Ashbacher MAA Reviews
Charles Ashbacher MAA Reviews