Mathyrious is a conflation of the words mathematics and mysterious.  I think this is an apt title since the subject of pure mathematics can seem like a mystery even to those who have studied it for years.  It is like playing a video game where you think you are about to enter Level 50, the final level of the game, and you are greeted by the splash screen “Entering Level 49.1.”  No matter how much you think you know, there is always something more.  The subtitle “…exploring the web of pure mathematics” refers to my intent on taking a journey through pure mathematics that emphasizes the interwoven nature of its concepts.

The only thing left to introduce is me.  You may have noticed the name Albert Smithereens at the bottom of the home page and wondered if that could possibly be my real name.  Fortunately, it is not.  I am just using it as my name for this website.  There is no particular reason for having a pseudonym other than a tip of the hat to the long tradition of mathematical pseudonyms (e.g., Nicholas Bourbaki) and my desire to have an alter ego.  Those familiar with the cinema may also recognize it as a pun on the pseudonym Alan Smithee used by filmmakers who chose not to be credited on a project.  

As I mentioned on the home page, I am not a mathematician.  I also make no claim of being some unrecognized mathematical genius.  I’m just some guy who likes pure mathematics.  I discovered a fascination with pure mathematics when my interest in the philosophy of science led me to read Douglas R. Hofstadter’s Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid.  This gave rise to a curiosity concerning the foundations of mathematics and mathematical logic.  Throughout this process, I first glimpsed what lies “under the hood” of pure mathematics.

I had already completed a few semesters of calculus and would subsequently change my major to mathematics.  I considered pursuing a graduate degree in mathematics, but life interfered, and I went in another direction.  Since retiring, I have had too much free time on my hands, and the desire to take a deeper dive into pure mathematics has returned.  The pic at the bottom right of this page is what an AI generator gave me when I asked for a caricature of an old guy with wild hair, glasses, and a beard.  Unfortunately, it is frighteningly close.

While it’s probably too late to improve my looks, this site may keep my mind sharp in my old age.  If nothing else, it will keep me out of trouble.