Benoit B. Mandelbrot, MIT 2001 - Fractals in Science, Engineering and Finance (Roughness and Beauty)

Professor Benoit Mandelbrot presents a lecture at MIT on November 28th, 2001, titled “Fractals in Science, Engineering and Finance (Roughness and Beauty).” He is introduced by MIT Professor Emeritus Edward Lorenz SM ‘43 ScD ‘48 (pioneer of chaos theory). Renowned for his contributions to the field of fractal geometry (including having coined the term ‘fractal,’) Mandelbrot explains that roughness is ubiquitous, and a major human sensory input. The first step to measure and simulate it was provided by fractal geometry. He illustrates these points by using examples drawn from the sciences, engineering (the internet) and (more extensively) from the variation of financial prices. He goes on to explain how the beauty of fractals, an unanticipated “premium,“ helps in teaching and bridges some chasms between different aspects of knowing and feeling. Please Subscribe!