Martin Gardner (born October 21, 1914) is an American recreational mathematician and author of the long-running but now discontinued "Mathematical Games" column in Scientific American.
Interests and writings
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Martin Gardner more or less singlehandedly sustained and nurtured interest in recreational mathematics in the U.S. for a large part of the 20th century. He is best known for his decades-long efforts in popular mathematics and science journalism. His interests range from science and philosophy to magic and the philosophical movement of skepticism, of which he is considered a notable figure in the field. He lives in Norman, Oklahoma.
Occasional conferences of people sharing his interests, known as the "Gatherings for Gardner," are held in his honor. The first was held in 1993.
In his "Mathematical Games" column in Scientific American, he introduced many subjects to a wider audience, including:
He is the author or editor of more than 100 books and booklets, including books on mathematics, science, pseudoscience, philosophy, literary criticism, and fiction (including Visitors from Oz, based on L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz).
In addition to his expository writing about mathematics, Gardner has been an avid controversialist on contemporary issues, arguing for his points of view in a wide range of fields. Though particularly well known for his critique of pseudoscientific beliefs, Gardner has also taken sides on political, economic, historical and philosophical controversies. His philosophical views, for example, are described and defended in his book The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener.
Martin Gardner has an abiding interest in religious belief. He has written repeatedly about what public figures such as Robert Maynard Hutchins, Mortimer Adler, and William F. Buckley, Jr. believed and whether their beliefs were logically consistent. In some cases, he has attacked prominent religious figures such as Mary Baker Eddy on the grounds that their claims are unsupportable. His semiautobiograpical novel The Flight of Peter Fromm depicts a traditionally Protestant Christian man struggling with his faith, examining 20th century scholarship and intellectual movements and ultimately rejecting Christianity while remaining a theist. He describes his own belief as philosophical theism inspired by the theology of the philosopher Miguel de Unamuno. While critical of organized religions, Gardner believes in God, knowing that this belief cannot be confirmed or disconfirmed by reason. At the same time, he is skeptical of claims that God has communicated with human beings through spoken or telepathic revelation or through miracles in the natural world.
Martin Gardner's philosophy may be summarised as follows: There is nothing supernatural, and nothing in human reason or visible in the world to compel people to believe in God. The mystery of existence is enchanting, but a belief in The Old One comes from faith without evidence. However, with faith and prayer people can find greater happiness than without. If there is an afterlife, the loving Old One is real. "The universe is the most exquisite mechanism ever constructed by nobody", from G.K.Chesterton is one of Martin's favorite quotes.
Gardner is respected by both the magic and scientific communities. His book Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science has become a classic work. He is deeply admired by James Randi.
There is an asteroid, (2587) Gardner, named in his honor.
Gardner has sometimes used pseudonyms, including "Uriah Fuller" (a parody of Uri Geller, whom Gardner considers a fraud) and "Armand T. Ringer." Under the name Uriah Fuller he wrote Confessions of a Psychic and Further Confessions of a Psychic, two privately printed booklets explaining how so-called psychics do their "seemingly impossible paranormal feats."
Selected works
Books
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Mathematics, Magic and Mystery 1956; Dover; ISBN 0486203352
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Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science 1957; Dover; ISBN 0486203948
- The Annotated Snark New York: Simon & Schuster, 1962.
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The Annotated Ancient Mariner New York: Clarkson Potter, 1965. Reprint. Prometheus. ISBN 1591021251
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Annotated Casey at the Bat: A Collection of Ballads about the Mighty Casey New York: Clarkson Potter, 1967. Reprint. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984. ISBN 0-226-28263-5 Reprint. New York: Dover, 1995. ISBN 0486285987
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Aha! Insight 1978; W.H. Freeman & Company; ISBN 071671017X
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Entertaining Science Experiments With Everyday Objects 1981; Dover; ISBN 0486242013
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Aha! Gotcha: Paradoxes to Puzzle and Delight (Tools for Transformation) 1982; W.H. Freeman & Company; ISBN 0716713616
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The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener 1983,1999; St. Martin's Griffin; ISBN 0312206828
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Codes, Ciphers and Secret Writing (Test Your Code Breaking Skills) 1984; Dover; ISBN 0486247619
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Entertaining Mathematical Puzzles 1986; Dover; ISBN 0486252116
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The No-Sided Professor and other tales of fantasy, humor, mystery, and philosophy 1987; Prometheus Books; ISBN 0879753900
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The Annotated Father Brown Oxford University Press, 1987. ISBN 0192177486
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Perplexing Puzzles and Tantalizing Teasers 1988; Dover; ISBN 0486256375
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The Colossal Book of Mathematics: Classic Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Problems 2001; W.W. Norton & Company; ISBN 0393020231
- The Ambidextrous Universe: Mirror Asymmetry and Time-Reversed Worlds
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Science: Good, Bad, and Bogus 1990; Prometheus Books; ISBN 8797557330 / ISBN 8797551444
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On the Wild Side 1992; Prometheus Books; ISBN 0879757132
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My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles 1994; Dover; ISBN 0486281523
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Classic Brainteasers 1995; Sterling Publishing; ISBN 0806912618
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The Night Is Large : Collected Essays, 1938-1995 1997; St. Martin's Griffin; ISBN 0312169493
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Weird Water & Fuzzy Logic: More Notes of a Fringe Watcher 1996; Prometheus Books; ISBN 1573920967
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Martin Gardner's Table Magic 1998; Dover; ISBN 048640403X
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Mathematical Recreations: A Collection in Honor of Martin Gardner 1998; Dover; ISBN 0486400891
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Gardner's Whys & Wherefores 1999; Prometheus Books; ISBN 1573927449
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The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition 1999; W.W. Norton & Company; ISBN 0393048470
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From the Wandering Jew to William F. Buckley, Jr. : On Science, Literature, and Religion 2000; Prometheus Books; ISBN 1573928526
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The Annotated Wizard of Oz New York: Norton, 2000. ISBN 0393049922
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A Gardner's Workout: Training the Mind and Entertaining the Spirit 2001 ISBN 1568811209
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Did Adam and Eve Have Navels?: Debunking Pseudoscience 2001; W.W. Norton & Company; ISBN 0393322386
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Martin Gardner's Favorite Poetic Parodies 2002; Prometheus Books; ISBN 1573929255
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Are Universes Thicker Than Blackberries?: Discourses on Gödel, Magic Hexagrams, Little Red Riding Hood, and Other Mathematical and Pseudoscientific Topics 2003 ISBN 0393057429
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Smart Science Tricks 2004; Sterling; ISBN 1402709102
Collections of Scientific American columns
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Hexaflexagons and Other Mathematical Diversions: The First Scientific American Book of Puzzles and Games 1959, 1988; University of Chicago Press ISBN 0226282546
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Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions 1959; Pelican, UK ISBN 0140207139
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More Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions 1961; Pelican, UK ISBN 0140207481
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Martin Gardner's New Mathematical Diversions from Scientific American 1966; Simon and Schuster
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Further Mathematical Diversions 1969; Pelican, UK ISBN 014021996X
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Mathematical Carnival 1975; Pelican, UK ISBN 0140220410
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Mathematical Circus 1979; Pelican, UK ISBN 014022355X
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Wheels, Life, and Other Mathematical Amusements 1983; W. H. Freeman & Co. ISBN 0-7167-1589-9
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The Magic Numbers of Dr. Matrix; Prometheus Books; ISBN 0879752815 / ISBN 0879752823
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Knotted Doughnuts and Other Mathematical Entertainments 1986; W. H. Freeman & Co. ISBN 0716717999
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The Second Scientific American Book of Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions 1987; University of Chicago Press; ISBN 0226282538
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Time Travel and Other Mathematical Bewilderments 1988; W. H. Freeman & Co. ISBN 0716719258
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Penrose Tiles to Trapdoor Ciphers 1989; W. H. Freeman & Co. ISBN 0716719878
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Last Recreations: Hydras, Eggs, and other Mathematical Mystifications 1997; Springer Verlag; ISBN 0387949291
See also
External links