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Rating: 
Summary: The Mathematics of Wishful Thinking
Review: Does a triangle have 3 sides? Is 1+1=2? As any schoolboy or -girl knows, mathematics is not ethnocentric -- only people (and their attendant pedagogical practices) are. Does ethnomathematics secrete a corrupt (ethnocentric) ethics and rest on a naive "constructivist" epistemology? Mathematical entities and relations submit to our (cultural, raced-based, gender-specific, or personal) wishes and intentions to the same degree as, apparently, our capacity, as ethnomathematicians, to think clearly about and act ethically in the world: viz., not at all! (Of course, some of us are determined, against every bit of logic and normative theorizing, to have our way in the world.) Don't waste your money or time on this work of fiction.
Rating:
Summary: The Mathematics of Wishful Thinking
Review: Drs. Powell and Frankenstein have written an excellent reference for mathematics educators. The book presents a well documented argument in favor of teaching mathematics from a multicultural perspective. The chapter on Marx and Mathematics was of particular interest to me because many students of calculus do not know about Marx's interest in the development of the derivative. The book also points out that it is important for students to know that the genesis of mathematics began in Africa. The book includes a comprehensive list of bibliographical references. In my opinion, this book receives an "A". Mathematicians, mathematics educators, and practitioners of mathematics should carefully study the text. I will definitely recommend this book to my colleagues. Skeptics and proponents of ethnomathematics would benefit from this book. This is an excellent piece of literature in the field of mathematics education and ethnomathematics.Dr. Eduardo Arismendi-Pardi, Professor of Mathematics, Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Road, P. O. Box 5005, Costa Mesa, California 92628-5005.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent: Mathematics educators must read/study the text
Review: Drs. Powell and Frankenstein have written an excellent reference for mathematics educators. The book presents a well documented argument in favor of teaching mathematics from a multicultural perspective. The chapter on Marx and Mathematics was of particular interest to me because many students of calculus do not know about Marx's interest in the development of the derivative. The book also points out that it is important for students to know that the genesis of mathematics began in Africa. The book includes a comprehensive list of bibliographical references. In my opinion, this book receives an "A". Mathematicians, mathematics educators, and practitioners of mathematics should carefully study the text. I will definitely recommend this book to my colleagues. Skeptics and proponents of ethnomathematics would benefit from this book. This is an excellent piece of literature in the field of mathematics education and ethnomathematics. Dr. Eduardo Arismendi-Pardi, Professor of Mathematics, Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Road, P. O. Box 5005, Costa Mesa, California 92628-5005.
Rating:
Summary: One of the dumbest ideas ever
Review: The books represents that a mathematical observation is to some extent dependent on the culture of the observer. This is, at best, a misrepresentation. An equilateral triangle does not change in properties, no matter what the culture of the observer. Two + Two will always equal four. One of the most useful aspects of mathematics is that it is not relative to the culture of the observer. What is mathematically true remains true. If two observers do not agree about a mathematical property, one is wrong or incomplete. It may be that it is the European view that is wrong, I am sure that not all mathematical truth is known yet. It may never be. What is true about mathematical observation is not variable with culture.
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