Hugo Duminil-Copin and Emmanuel Sander explore the human side of mathematics

Mathematician Hugo Duminil-Copin and psychologist Emmanuel Sander are co-authoring a book titled ‘De l'autre côté du tableau noir: les mathématiques à visage humain’, scheduled for release on September 4, 2026.

The authors argue against the stereotype of mathematics as a cold, purely logical discipline. They propose a concept of ‘embodied mathematics’, emphasizing that the mathematical process is driven by human psychology, including intuition, curiosity, surprise, frustration, and error.

Duminil-Copin, a Fields Medalist, and Sander, a professor of psychology and education, suggest that intuition should be central to learning. They contend that while rigorous demonstration is necessary to validate findings, intuition is the essential engine that allows mathematicians to conjecture and identify promising paths of inquiry.