Read ebook Jeff Suzuki - Constitutional Calculus : The Math of Justice and the Myth of Common Sense MOBI, DOC, TXT
9781421415956 English 142141595X How should we count the population of the United States? What would happen if we replaced the electoral college with a direct popular vote? What are the consequences of allowing unlimited partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts? Can six-person juries yield verdicts consistent with the needs of justice? Is it racist to stop and frisk minorities at a higher rate than non-minorities? These and other questions have long been the subject of legal and political debate and are routinely decided by lawyers, politicians, judges, and voters, mostly through an appeal to common sense and tradition.But mathematician Jeff Suzuki asserts that common sense is not so common, and traditions developed long ago in what was a mostly rural, mostly agricultural, mostly isolated nation of three million might not apply to a mostly urban, mostly industrial, mostly global nation of three hundred million. In "Constitutional Calculus," Suzuki guides us through the U.S. Constitution and American history to show how mathematics reveals our flaws, finds the answers we need, and moves us closer to our ideals. From the first presidential veto to the debate over mandatory drug testing, the National Security Agency's surveillance program, and the fate of death row inmates, Suzuki draws us into real-world debates and then reveals how math offers a superior compass for decision-making. Relying on iconic cases, including the convictions of the Scottsboro boys, "League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry," and "Floyd v. City of New York," Suzuki shows that more math can lead to better justice, greater fairness, and a more stable democracy. Whether you are fascinated by history, math, social justice, or government, your interest will be piqued and satisfied by the convincing case Suzuki makes., In his Essay on the Application of Probability to Decisions Made by a Plurality of Votes (1785), Enlightenment philosopher Marquis de Condorcet gave expression to a dream: Mathematics can tell us how to build a better society. Mathematics allows us to predict what would happen if we changed the very foundations of society, to answer the "What if" question that is the origin of all reform. What if we used proper statistical methods to conduct a census instead of trying to obtain a to-the-person exact count? What if we abandon the electoral college and substitute a direct popular vote? What if we replace the twelve-person jury with a three-person tribunal? We can continuously assess the effectiveness of our societal institutions in an objective fashion. For decades, the debate over capital punishment focused on whether it was morally justified. ... It was not until the opponents of capital punishment enlisted the help of mathematics that they won a national moratorium from 1972 to 1976; and even though capital punishment returned 'p' in 1976, the philosophers, aided by mathematics, have managed to repeal capital punishment in eight states. In some cases, mathematics supports the paths suggested by tradition and common sense. In others, it shows us a better way. In all cases, we ignore the findings of mathematics at our peril. Book jacket.
9781421415956 English 142141595X How should we count the population of the United States? What would happen if we replaced the electoral college with a direct popular vote? What are the consequences of allowing unlimited partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts? Can six-person juries yield verdicts consistent with the needs of justice? Is it racist to stop and frisk minorities at a higher rate than non-minorities? These and other questions have long been the subject of legal and political debate and are routinely decided by lawyers, politicians, judges, and voters, mostly through an appeal to common sense and tradition.But mathematician Jeff Suzuki asserts that common sense is not so common, and traditions developed long ago in what was a mostly rural, mostly agricultural, mostly isolated nation of three million might not apply to a mostly urban, mostly industrial, mostly global nation of three hundred million. In "Constitutional Calculus," Suzuki guides us through the U.S. Constitution and American history to show how mathematics reveals our flaws, finds the answers we need, and moves us closer to our ideals. From the first presidential veto to the debate over mandatory drug testing, the National Security Agency's surveillance program, and the fate of death row inmates, Suzuki draws us into real-world debates and then reveals how math offers a superior compass for decision-making. Relying on iconic cases, including the convictions of the Scottsboro boys, "League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry," and "Floyd v. City of New York," Suzuki shows that more math can lead to better justice, greater fairness, and a more stable democracy. Whether you are fascinated by history, math, social justice, or government, your interest will be piqued and satisfied by the convincing case Suzuki makes., In his Essay on the Application of Probability to Decisions Made by a Plurality of Votes (1785), Enlightenment philosopher Marquis de Condorcet gave expression to a dream: Mathematics can tell us how to build a better society. Mathematics allows us to predict what would happen if we changed the very foundations of society, to answer the "What if" question that is the origin of all reform. What if we used proper statistical methods to conduct a census instead of trying to obtain a to-the-person exact count? What if we abandon the electoral college and substitute a direct popular vote? What if we replace the twelve-person jury with a three-person tribunal? We can continuously assess the effectiveness of our societal institutions in an objective fashion. For decades, the debate over capital punishment focused on whether it was morally justified. ... It was not until the opponents of capital punishment enlisted the help of mathematics that they won a national moratorium from 1972 to 1976; and even though capital punishment returned 'p' in 1976, the philosophers, aided by mathematics, have managed to repeal capital punishment in eight states. In some cases, mathematics supports the paths suggested by tradition and common sense. In others, it shows us a better way. In all cases, we ignore the findings of mathematics at our peril. Book jacket.