What is Foundations: Definition and 117 Discussions

This is a list of wealthiest charitable foundations worldwide. It consists of the 43 largest charitable foundations, private foundations engaged in philanthropy, and other charitable organizations that have disclosed their assets. In many countries, asset disclosure is not legally required or made public.
Only nonprofit foundations are included in this list. Organizations that are part of a larger company are excluded, such as holding companies.
The entries are ordered by the size of the organization's financial endowment (that is, the value of assets net of liabilities, or invested donations). The endowment value is an estimate measured in United States dollars, based on the exchange rates on December 31, 2016. Due to fluctuations in holdings, currency exchange and asset values, this list only represents the valuation of each foundation on a single day.

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  1. R

    The Incompleteness of Mathematics: A Philosophical Inquiry

    I'm getting interested in mathematics because as a philosopher I am upset with the amazingly poor standards of rigor in my field. I am looking to mathematics for guidance. I would like to formalize philosophy and turn it into a deductive science. I have a deep interest in logic so I decided...
  2. marcus

    GR/StatMech/QM foundations, epistemic views only please

    If you have seen interesting recent research papers on foundations/interpretation of these branches of physics, please share your links and thoughts. Argument along ontic versus epistemic lines is not approved--it is frequently a waste of time. So if you please use a separate thread if your...
  3. homology

    Looking to discuss the philosophical foundations of mathematic

    Folks, A friend and I are interested in finding a forum to discuss the philosophy of the foundations of mathematics. He's a mathematician and I'm a mathematical physicist. Some of the topics we're interested in are understanding intuitionism and understanding Wittgenstein's lectures on the...
  4. marcus

    Radical new foundations for both quantum theory and space-time

    This was just posted http://arxiv.org/abs/1308.2206 Energetic Causal Sets Marina Cortês, Lee Smolin (Submitted on 9 Aug 2013) We propose an approach to quantum theory based on the energetic causal sets, introduced in Cortês and Smolin (2013). Fundamental processes are causal sets whose...
  5. W

    Books for the foundations of quantum mechanics?

    I finished reading "Linear Operators for QM" by Jordan a couple of weeks ago, and it was extremely interesting for me. It introduced various topics in functional analysis that are relevant to the foundations of QM (Hilbert spaces, spectral theory, von Neumann algebras, etc.). I was wondering...
  6. S

    Cellular Foundations of Bio-Chemistry

    1.How did the nucleus evolve? 2.What are the pointers indicating the evolution of eukaryotes from the same branch as archea? 3.Obligate anaerobes, what is the end products? Does it include molecular oxygen? What is it in case of facultative anaerobes? Is there any organism that uses a...
  7. Spinnor

    Foundations of physics Special Issue: Forty Years of String Theory

    "Foundations of physics" Special Issue: Forty Years of String Theory http://www.springer.com/physics/history+&+philosophical+foundations+of+physics/journal/10701 If this has already been mentioned feel free to delete this post. Articles free through march, A Critical Look at Strings (Carlo...
  8. M

    Khinchin: Mathematical Foundations Of Statistical Mechanics

    Hello, I'm a first year graduate student, and one of the required texts for my class is the book alluded to in the title. However, it seems to me that this book is written in the language of a mathematician, and is a bit inaccessible to me. Particularly, I'm having trouble following the...
  9. Greg Bernhardt

    Foundations of Computer Science by Behrouz A. Forouzan

    Author: Behrouz A. Forouzan Title: Foundations of Computer Science Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1844807002/?tag=pfamazon01-20 Prerequisities: Contents:
  10. tom.stoer

    ’t Hooft on the Foundations of Superstring Theory

    This paper may be intersting: http://www.springerlink.com/content/d3182t263w74267g/?MUD=MP On the Foundations of Superstring Theory Gerard ’t Hooft Abstract: Superstring theory is an extension of conventional quantum field theory that allows for stringlike and branelike material objects...
  11. V

    Rebuilding Math Foundations: Reflection on a Late Start

    The short summary is that my high school foundations of math were absolutely terrible as I was instructed from the youngest age that mathematics was entirely about computation and that being talented in math meant being able to handle lots of number grinding in your head without a calculator. I...
  12. I

    Inductive proof foundations of analysis

    Homework Statement Prove the following. 4+1+4^-1+4^-2...4^-k = 16/3-1/(3)(4^k) Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I confirmed the basis step and proceeded by changing the variable to n and adding n+1. I now have (16/3) - (1/(3)(4^k)) + (1/4^k+1) = 16/3 - (1/(3)(4^k+1))...
  13. D

    Foundations of General Relativity Text - Recommendations

    I'm looking for a good text on the foundations of GR. Geared towards physicists, but with a focus on the subtleties of the ideas that went into building the theory rather than on applications. Any recommendations? Thanks!
  14. E

    What we know about the foundations of Quantum Mechanics?

    It's known at anyone that, the QM is a powerful instrument investigation about the microworld...since 1930, official year born, the QM has explained a lot of mysterious facts, revealing strange behavior of the mother nature... physicists love QM to the simply mathematical and for the amount...
  15. S

    Books about the foundations of mathematics

    Hello, Does anyone know of any good books that covers the foundations of mathematics (i.e. mathematical logic, axiomatic set theory, proof theory, model theory, type theory, recursion theory...)? Keeping in mind that I'm still in high school. (Although I'm taking math courses at my local...
  16. A

    Mathematical Foundations of the Relativistic Theory of Quantum Gravity

    Hello. I would like to bring to discussion this paper called "Mathematical Foundations of the Relativistic Theory of Quantum Gravity", by Professor Fran de Aquino, from the Maranhao State University, in Brazil. The paper was published in the Pacific Journal of Science and Technology...
  17. caffeinemachine

    MHB The foundations of mathematics are flawed. N J Wildberger

    Well this post is "related" two math but I found the chat room to be the most appropriate place for this. Now I found a lecture series on youtube by a mathematician N J Wildberger. He claims that the "Foundations of mathematics" are flawed. The area of mathematics he claims need to be revised...
  18. tom.stoer

    Conceptual Foundations of Quantum Mechanics - Bernard D'Espagnat

    Can anyone comment on this book?
  19. marcus

    Foundations argument: Silberstein et al engage Hiley-channeling-Bohm

    "Foundations" argument: Silberstein et al engage Hiley-channeling-Bohm Foundations of Physics (ed. 't Hooft) has accepted this Silberstein et al paper for publication. http://inspirehep.net/record/922919?ln=en which seems to me to resurrect some Bohm trends of thought, perhaps in a new form...
  20. C

    How to Calculate Bearing Capacity in Clay for Foundations?

    Homework Statement View attachment. Homework Equations View attachment. The Attempt at a Solution View attachment. Everything should be in the attachment, i back tracked my working with the answer given on the sheet but i still don't end up with the right solution?
  21. strangerep

    SR Foundations: Parallax Methods? - Reference Request

    Standard treatments (e.g., Rindler) of the foundations of Special Relativity invoke use of a "rigid rod" or "rigid scale" by an observer to construct his inertial frame -- by (somewhat fictionally) transporting the rod (and also cloning copies of a standard clock at every point in the frame)...
  22. C

    Fractal Geometry and the Foundations of Maths

    Hey Everyone, I just wanted to ask for a bit of help on this research assignment I have to do. I have to show how Fractal Geometry contributes to the theory that Mathematics was invented. I have been looking into fractal dimensions and the fact that the dimensions we have labelled (1,2 and 3)...
  23. L

    The axiomatization of Quantity Calculus, the logical foundations of DA

    I was intrigued reading * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantity_calculus" that after two centuries axiomatization of QC has not been completed, though there are only 5 basic elements and 4[3] concepts: S[tandard],= U[nit], D[imension], Q[uantity]. I suppose nobody here has tackled the problem...
  24. Demystifier

    Path integrals and foundations of quantum mechanics

    It is frequently stated that path integral formulation of quantum mechanics is equivalent to the more traditional canonical quantization. However, I don't think it is really true. I claim that, unlike canonical quantization, path integral quantization is not self-sufficient. That's because...
  25. F

    Foundations of Mechanics, Abraham and Marsden

    Is Abraham and Marsden's Foundations of Mechanics a good book to learn Classical Mechanics? In other words, if I were to go through this book (which I believe is more mathematical than physics-related) would I have a good, intuitive grasp of Classical Mechanics?
  26. M

    Courses Math Graduate Course vs. Stronger Foundations

    Hello, I'm a rising Junior at UC Berkeley, and I'm in a bit of a dilemma for the upcoming semester. I'm a math major, and intend to go to graduate school to pursue a Ph.D in Pure Math, but am not sure about the best path to take. Right now, I've completed the upper division Linear Algebra...
  27. Q

    Foundations of the anthropic principle

    What role does the anthropic principle play in modern cosmology? How can we justify it? (Is it merely good old common sense or does it have a mathematical formulation?) What does it succeed in explaining? Is it scientific? Is it necessary?
  28. S

    A problem with the Axiomatic Foundations of Mathematics

    After looking at the axiomatic systems of modern mathematics and asking myself what proves they are self consistent I went looking for an explanation and so far I have found only that they have not been proven self consistent nor likely will a proof ever exist. So the possibility of a...
  29. BloodyFrozen

    Why is l x - 3 l useful in showing the limit of f(x) = x^2 near 3?

    Foundations of "Formal Limits" In Spivak's 4th Edition, one examples says: "The function f(x) = x2 is a little more interesting. Presumably, we should be able to show that f(x) approaches 9 near 3. This means that we need to be small enough to show how to ensure the inequality...
  30. H

    Bell's theorem and foundations of statistics

    Dear All, Recently I have published a paper on Bell's theorem ASTP 4(20) 945-949 (2010). One can also find it on arXiv as http://arxiv.org/abs/1012.4990. I am interested in a discussion about the results of the paper. The claim of the paper is that mathematically Bell's theorem is...
  31. B

    Set theory, Foundations, Physics and Causal Structure

    Hey, I would like to start a discussion about the use of set theory in mathematical physics. I myself have done research in categorical physics and have seen the debates on how it can be an alternate foundation for mathematics. We can discuss here a few things, but try to stick to these...
  32. B

    The Probing of, Approximation to and Idealization of Structure for Foundations

    "The Probing of, Approximation to and Idealization of Structure" for Foundations Hey, Over the past six years I have worked with Lucien Hardy at Perimeter in Waterloo and Prakash Panangaden at McGill. This paper is the culmination of thoughts on physics gleaned from that work...
  33. C

    Historical and Philosophical Foundations for Mathematics, Writing a Math Book

    Hello, Recently I've been attempting to put together a brief book on mathematics. The first section is short and introductory as I lead up into calculus. I kind of feel bad that I skipped over conics, geometric series, permutations and combinations, transformations of functions, and so many...
  34. D

    Why Aren't Concrete Spacers Required In Foundations?

    A discussion arose tonight about why spacers aren't used in the foundations in houses, as opposed to sidewalks where there are gaps every few feet to allow for thermal expansion. Some possible answers were that the foundation would be more constant temperature, or that the concrete was somehow...
  35. MTd2

    Foundations of a theory of quantum gravity - Johan Noldus' book.

    http://arxiv.org/abs/1101.5113 Foundations of a theory of quantum gravity Johan Noldus (Submitted on 26 Jan 2011) After a long technical and consequently philosophical disgression about the necessity of the construction presented in this book, a logically consistent and precise theory of...
  36. A

    First term of foundations of physics vs the second term

    I took the first term of a Foundations of Physics sequence (251) last year, and understood most of the material fairly well. It was calculus based Newtonian mechanics; units and vectors; one-dimensional motion; Newton’s laws; work and energy; momentum and collisions. Since it's been a year...
  37. E

    Is the Standard Model of Cosmology built on a house of cards?

    I enjoy Physics like many and always keep an eye out for new discoveries, but is our understanding of the universe becoming too complicated and involved. We are constantly finding new information that does not fit the current model, but by adding a new constant or variable into the equations it...
  38. marcus

    Foundations of Space and Time (edited by Ellis et al, to appear)

    Some of the draft chapters of this book are already on Arxiv. The book is scheduled to appear May 2011. http://www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521114400 Many if not all of these were papers presented in a conference in Capetown honoring George Ellis on his 70th birthday...
  39. facenian

    Foundations of Relativistic QM

    I'd liked to know whether the postulates of standard QM are still valid in Relativistic QM By postulates I mean what is ussually stated in texbooks as follows 1)Physical states are determined by a vector in sate space E 2)A measurable physical quantity A is described by an observable A acting...
  40. S

    Proving x' ≠ x: Exploring Foundations of Analysis by Edmund Landau

    Hi I'm reading this great book Foundations of Analysis by Edmund Landau, a really old book that aims to build the foundations of analysis from basic arithmetic. I'm not that strong on proofing yet but am trying, here is my problem. Using these 5 axioms for the Natural numbers; I) \ 1 \in...
  41. K

    Which structures can constitute the foundations of mathematics?

    It is a well known view that mathematical logic together with set theory can be used as a foundation for the whole the rest of mathematics. Category theory also has been mentioned as a candidate for this, as an alternative of set theory. But recently I heard (from a non-mathematician) a view...
  42. R

    Learning Categorical Foundations

    Hello, I am wondering what resources are most helpful in learning the progress made by category and topos theorists in creating a "new" foundation for mathematics. So far I have: Categories for the Working Mathematician Topoi by Goldblatt First-Order Categorical Logic by Makkai An...
  43. C

    Foundations: Newton's Third Law and time reversal invariance

    Let me propose a list of principles of classical dynamics, specifically designed for education, for introduction to novices: - In the absence of any force: objects in motion move along straight lines, covering equal distances in equal intervals of time - Composition of motion: position...
  44. X

    Studying Studying Math without propper foundations

    I'm 19 years old and I am in first year computer science. I've really fallen in love with the math that we do (discrete math, linear algebra, multivariable calculus) in this program and I'm thinking of switching majors to math or do a double major in math and computer science.. What I'm...
  45. N

    News Addressing the foundations of humanity's problems?

    Is science, alone, the key to addressing the foundations of humanity's problems? Assuming we look at the great implications of what it can do for us.
  46. W

    What is the Meaning of 'Conceptual' in Foundations of Mathematics?

    I`ve started to read on FOM, and unfortunately I found the first paragraph cumbersome to get. Here is the text I started with: http://www.math.psu.edu/simpson/hierarchy.html The first paragraph was: "1. All human knowledge is conceptual and forms an integrated whole. All human knowledge is...
  47. T

    People who do foundations of maths?

    Conjecture: Most of the people doing research in the foundations of maths are 'not good enough' for maths. conjecture here is obviously a joke (but not completely). not good enough as in feel that maths is too difficult to understand (i.e not clear enough, too abstract). There's obviously also...
  48. G

    Where Can I Find Textbooks with Worked Solutions for Engineering Statics?

    hey guys I am doing my first semester subject in first year. we're doing a subject on like free body diagrams and like working out like tension in the cables and angles and stuff. i really can't find a textbook with worked solutions and more questions? does anyone know where i can find some? its...
  49. T

    Foundations of measure theory?

    What theory are they? Set theory comes to mind but is that too broad?
  50. I

    Why Does String Theory Aim to Unify the Fundamental Forces of Nature?

    Hello everyone... I am a new member, i am an engineering student , but working in physics all the time :) , i have been working on theoretical quantum optics for a year now...but always been thinking about Many-World -Interpretation and so came the questions about parallel universe ... So...
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