Can the mathematics of speed give us a life lesson?
Insignificant to Worthwhile
Some of the mathematical concepts can give us wonderful insights. Here I am writing of an insight given by the French philosopher Gilles Deleuze, in his monumental work, Difference and Repetition. We try to understand the meaning of differentiation, a concept in the branch of Calculus, by an example.
I use X as a variable to denote the distance traveled. dX is an infinitesimally small change in X (very very small change; change in distance is negligible compared to the initial distance traveled). In mathematical language, I could write dX<<X. I have another variable called time, denoted by t. And the infinitesimally small change in time is given by dt. These quantities like dX, dt are very negligible numbers compared to X or t. In mathematical language, we can say that they are tending to zero.
Average speed is normally given as the ratio between the distance traveled and the time taken for that travel. If I travel 100Km in 2 hours, my average speed is 50km/hr. In differentiation, we are interested in the instantaneous speed. When I traveled a negligible distance (dX) in negligible time (dt), the instantaneous speed is given by the formula in the image.
Though the terms in the numerator (dX) and denominator (dt) are negligible quantities, they can enter into a proper relation, providing an answer called the instantaneous speed which doesn't belong to the league of negligible. It is very significant.
Everything in the world, including us, are negligible/ insignificant in many ways. When two or more insignificant things enter into an appropriate relation, they have the capability of producing something significant. I suppose this is one of the purposes of education too.
Realizing that we are insignificant(uniquely insignificant) in many ways,
but can make appropriate connections with persons, talents, nature, etc
That makes life significant and meaningful.
