Certainty Is Overrated

Jordan Ellenberg finds mathematical certainty overrated. Calming our fear of the unknown, the mathematician joins Hakeem to explore why math, contrary to popular belief, is less about proof and more about probability. He traces uncertainty's surprisingly recent arrival in mathematical history and its deep ties to quantum physics. Jordan also unpacks the difference between what's unknown and what's fundamentally unknowable, why hurricanes and earthquakes are "certain uLearn more about NOVA and visit our YouTube channel.--------------------------Guest Bio:Jordan Ellenberg is a professor of mathematics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, specializing in number theory and arithmetic algebraic geometry. He is the New York Times bestselling author of How Not to Be Wrong and Shape, and his forthcoming book, Don't Be Too Sure, arrives in 2027.