The mathematician's brain / David Ruelle.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ruelle, David.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mathematics--Philosophy.

Mathematics.

Mathematicians--Psychology.

Mathematicians.

Physical Description:

ix, 160 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Princeton : Princeton University Press, [2007]

Summary:

"David Ruelle has written an entertaining and thoughtful book on human theorizing in that most abstract science, mathematics. Yet its content has ramifications that extend well into other thought processes."--Stephen Smale, Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago"Fascinating and quite eclectic. Ruelle has a pragmatic approach to discussing philosophical and psychological questions. He is equally pragmatic with regard to ethical and political issues involved in the professional world of the mathematician. As Ruelle repeatedly says, mathematics is a human activity."--William Messing, University of Minnesota

Contents:

Scientific Thinking

What Is Mathematics?

The Erlangen Program

Mathematics and Ideologies

The Unity of Mathematics

A Glimpse into Algebraic Geometry and Arithmetic

A Trip to Nancy with Alexander Grothendieck

Structures

The Computer and the Brain

Mathematical Texts

Honors

Infinity: The Smoke Screen of the Gods

Foundations

Structures and Concept Creation

Turing's Apple

Mathematical Invention: Psychology and Aesthetics

The Circle Theorem and an Infinite-Dimensional Labyrinth

Mistake!

The Smile of Mona Lisa

Tinkering and the Construction of Mathematical Theories

The Strategy of Mathematical Invention

Mathematical Physics and Emergent Behavior

The Beauty of Mathematics.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 131-156) and index.

ISBN:

9780691129822

0691129827

OCLC:

76961148