Voting & the Electoral College - Logic, Riddles, & Paradoxes in Math and History

Explore the intricacies of voting systems and electoral processes in this 30-minute lecture from Wondrium. Delve into the paradoxical outcomes of elections at various levels, from national to local. Examine Kenneth Arrow's Nobel prize-winning impossibility theorem and evaluate the U.S. Electoral College system, known for its counter-intuitive results. Discover how mathematics plays a crucial role in determining voter will and uncover the complexities of different voting methods for scenarios with three or more candidates. Analyze real-world examples, including the Adam Clayton Powell incident, and learn about the application of six different voting systems to a single election. Gain insights into Arrow's Theorem and its mathematical proof, and conclude with an exploration of the puzzling Chairs Paradox. This thought-provoking lecture challenges conventional understanding of democratic processes and highlights the intricate relationship between mathematics and politics.