We proudly present the schoolbook “Problems for children from 5 to 15” by V. I. Arnold in our Background Material Section. The English translation is brand new and we are happy to be able to offer this unique booklet under a creative commons license.

From the Abstract:

The booklet consists of 77 problems for development of thinking culture, either selected or composed by the author. Most of them do not require any special knowledge beyond the general education. However, solving some of them may turn out challenging even for professors. The book is addressed to school and university students, teachers, parents – to everybody who considers the thinking culture an essential part of the personality development.

Arnold’s words:

“I put these problems onto paper in Paris in spring 2004 when Russian Parisians asked me to help their young children gain the thinking culture traditional for Russia. I am deeply convinced that this culture is most of all cultivated by early independent reflection on simple, but not easy questions similar to those below (problems 1, 3, 13 are the most recommended)…”

You can find the booklet following this download link or also in the Background Material Section of IMAGINARY (where you will also find all other language versions of the booklet, as German, Italian, Turkish or Vietnamese).