James Merlin is the stage name of Steven Goodwin, a Cambridge-based mathematician, writer, and performer.
There are currently two lectures available to magic clubs in the UK.
1. Magic and intellectual property
2. Dissecting Methods - A lecture on using mathematics in magic
- Magic throughout
- Question and answer session
- Secrets revealed!
Dissecting Methods - A lecture on using mathematics in magic
In this lecture we will be looking at various effects (new and old) to see how the mathematics that is used in magic really work - and the cases where they don't! But be calm. Don't be scared. The maths involved are those taught to primary school kids. If you remember how numbers were counted in forms of Hundreds-Tens-Units, you're good to go!
You will come away with a greater appreciation of the mechanics behind these effects so that you can easily adapt and expand the tricks in new and interesting ways, that would be impossible otherwise. You will also see how to prove that the trick will work in every case through simple reasoning, without having to test every single possibility.
Nine effects including rapid calculations, predictions, forces, Gilbreath, the quirkiness of the number 142,857, and a memory effect that requires no memory work. Each split into effect, method, and the mathematical workings. Also discussions on how to cast out suspicion, when you cast out 9s, the theory of “Magic smells”, and the concept of “pairing effects”
The lecture includes some of the material in his book, "Mathematics in Magic".
Magic and intellectual property
This video shows the original, non-magician, version of the talk.
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- hello@JamesMerlin.com
