Oh my goodness. I am utterly elated to find another parent who is raising an alarmingly mathematically precocious child. It sounds like my 7 year old would get on a treat with your little boy. He's currently learning how to translate recurring decimals into improper fractions and last year learned the periodic table off by heart (give him a number between 1 and 118 and he will tell you the element, possibly even its shell structure). I would love to talk!!!
Another fascinating and unexpected ride around the circle (all 2pi radians) of your lunatic mind (meant in only the best sense possible) and experiences. Thoroughly enjoyed this post!
As the parent of a three year old whose favourite phrase is ‘talk me through it’, I felt every word of this! Loved it. Also fully agree with resorting to ‘I don’t know’ to any question when the answer has the potential to terrify you both. That deepening underground tunnel imagery is the stuff of nightmares
Thank you, Will. I wanted to read your piece several times before commenting. I can empathize with your nephew’s need for certainty. It can be eternally allusive in some matters.
That was a fascinating (and terrifying) read! Thanks for sharing...but somehow I have to sleep tonight, and I’m not sure how!
I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one who pictures infinity with depth, even though I don’t have synethesia: it just *feels* deep and wide and endless to me.
Oh my goodness. I am utterly elated to find another parent who is raising an alarmingly mathematically precocious child. It sounds like my 7 year old would get on a treat with your little boy. He's currently learning how to translate recurring decimals into improper fractions and last year learned the periodic table off by heart (give him a number between 1 and 118 and he will tell you the element, possibly even its shell structure). I would love to talk!!!
Now this is a beautiful example of writing that I am now aspiring to. Thankyou 🥰
Another fascinating and unexpected ride around the circle (all 2pi radians) of your lunatic mind (meant in only the best sense possible) and experiences. Thoroughly enjoyed this post!
As the parent of a three year old whose favourite phrase is ‘talk me through it’, I felt every word of this! Loved it. Also fully agree with resorting to ‘I don’t know’ to any question when the answer has the potential to terrify you both. That deepening underground tunnel imagery is the stuff of nightmares
I thank the Substack whatevers (algorithms? networks of human brains? daemons?) for placing this newsletter in my path. LOVE. IT. (so much)
Thank you, Will. I wanted to read your piece several times before commenting. I can empathize with your nephew’s need for certainty. It can be eternally allusive in some matters.
Been catching up on all of your prior posts and they’re so amazing. Thank you Will!
That was a fascinating (and terrifying) read! Thanks for sharing...but somehow I have to sleep tonight, and I’m not sure how!
I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one who pictures infinity with depth, even though I don’t have synethesia: it just *feels* deep and wide and endless to me.
Absolutely fabulous!
Wonderfully told story....