Polish Mathematicians and Mathematics in World War I. Part II
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Load more
Recommended publications
-
Placing World War I in the History of Mathematics David Aubin, Catherine Goldstein
Placing World War I in the History of Mathematics David Aubin, Catherine Goldstein To cite this version: David Aubin, Catherine Goldstein. Placing World War I in the History of Mathematics. 2013. hal- 00830121v1 HAL Id: hal-00830121 https://hal.sorbonne-universite.fr/hal-00830121v1 Preprint submitted on 4 Jun 2013 (v1), last revised 8 Jul 2014 (v2) HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Placing World War I in the History of Mathematics David Aubin and Catherine Goldstein Abstract. In the historical literature, opposite conclusions were drawn about the impact of the First World War on mathematics. In this chapter, the case is made that the war was an important event for the history of mathematics. We show that although mathematicians' experience of the war was extremely varied, its impact was decisive on the life of a great number of them. We present an overview of some uses of mathematics in war and of the development of mathematics during the war. We conclude by arguing that the war also was a crucial factor in the institutional modernization of mathematics. Les vrais adversaires, dans la guerre d'aujourd'hui, ce sont les professeurs de math´ematiques`aleur table, les physiciens et les chimistes dans leur laboratoire. -
Theological Metaphors in Mathematics
STUDIES IN LOGIC, GRAMMAR AND RHETORIC 44 (57) 2016 DOI: 10.1515/slgr-2016-0002 Stanisław Krajewski University of Warsaw THEOLOGICAL METAPHORS IN MATHEMATICS Abstract. Examples of possible theological influences upon the development of mathematics are indicated. The best known connection can be found in the realm of infinite sets treated by us as known or graspable, which constitutes a divine-like approach. Also the move to treat infinite processes as if they were one finished object that can be identified with its limits is routine in mathemati- cians, but refers to seemingly super-human power. For centuries this was seen as wrong and even today some philosophers, for example Brian Rotman, talk critically about “theological mathematics”. Theological metaphors, like “God’s view”, are used even by contemporary mathematicians. While rarely appearing in official texts they are rather easily invoked in “the kitchen of mathemat- ics”. There exist theories developing without the assumption of actual infinity the tools of classical mathematics needed for applications (For instance, My- cielski’s approach). Conclusion: mathematics could have developed in another way. Finally, several specific examples of historical situations are mentioned where, according to some authors, direct theological input into mathematics appeared: the possibility of the ritual genesis of arithmetic and geometry, the importance of the Indian religious background for the emergence of zero, the genesis of the theories of Cantor and Brouwer, the role of Name-worshipping for the research of the Moscow school of topology. Neither these examples nor the previous illustrations of theological metaphors provide a certain proof that religion or theology was directly influencing the development of mathematical ideas. -
Recollections and Notes, Vol. 1 (1887–1945) Translated by Abe
Vita Mathematica 18 Hugo Steinhaus Mathematician for All Seasons Recollections and Notes, Vol. 1 (1887–1945) Translated by Abe Shenitzer Edited by Robert G. Burns, Irena Szymaniec and Aleksander Weron Vita Mathematica Volume 18 Edited by Martin MattmullerR More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/4834 Hugo Steinhaus Mathematician for All Seasons Recollections and Notes, Vol. 1 (1887–1945) Translated by Abe Shenitzer Edited by Robert G. Burns, Irena Szymaniec and Aleksander Weron Author Hugo Steinhaus (1887–1972) Translator Abe Shenitzer Brookline, MA, USA Editors Robert G. Burns York University Dept. Mathematics & Statistics Toronto, ON, Canada Irena Szymaniec Wrocław, Poland Aleksander Weron The Hugo Steinhaus Center Wrocław University of Technology Wrocław, Poland Vita Mathematica ISBN 978-3-319-21983-7 ISBN 978-3-319-21984-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-21984-4 Library of Congress Control Number: 2015954183 Springer Cham Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. -
Astronomy in Poland
The Organisation Astronomy in Poland Marek Sarna1 Figure 1. Mikołaj Kazimierz Stępień2 Kopernik pictured in his Frombork observatory. From the painting by Jan Matejko (1838–89). 1 Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland 2 Warsaw University Observatory, Poland Polish post-war astronomy was built virtually from nothing. Currently, about 250 astronomers are employed in seven academic institutes and a few smaller units across Poland. Broad areas of astrophysics are covered and the level of astronomical research in Poland is higher than the world average. Joining ESO has created an atmosphere that Gorgolewski (in radio astronomy), liant Polish scientists decided to stay for is conducive to further improvements in Stanisław Grzędzielski (interstellar and good at different western academic the quality of Polish research, and it interplanetary matter), Jan Hanasz institutions. Nonetheless, most of them marks an important step towards the full (radio astronomy, space research), Jerzy preserved close ties with their Polish integration of Polish astronomers into Jakimiec (in the field of Solar flares), colleagues, e.g., by inviting them to visit the international scientific community. Tadeusz Jarzębowski (photometry of vari- abroad and carrying out collaborative able stars), Andrzej Kruszewski (polarisa- research or providing support for scien- tion of starlight, variable stars and extra- tific libraries. As soon as Poland achieved Poland is a country with a long astronomi- galactic astronomy), Wojciech Krzemiński independence, the older emigrant astron- cal tradition: Mikołaj Kopernik (Nicolaus (variable stars), Jan Kubikowski (stellar omers frequently began to visit Poland Copernicus, 1473–1543) with his great atmospheres), Józef Masłowski (radio for both shorter and longer stays. -
THE-POLISH-TRACE-Ebook.Pdf
8 THE POLISH TRACE COMPOSED FROM COMMONLY AVAILABLE SOURCES BY LECH POLKOWSKI FOR IJCRS2017 FOREWORD It is a desire of many participants of conferences to learn as much as possible about the history and culture of he visited country and place and organizers try to satisfy this desire by providing excursions into attractive places and sites. IJCRS2017 also tries to take participants to historic sites of Warmia and Mazury and to show elements of local culture. As an innovation, we propose a booklet showing some achievements of Polish scientists and cryptographers, no doubt many of them are known universally, but some probably not. What bounds all personages described here is that they all suffered due to world wars, th efirst and the second. These wars ruined their homes, made them refugees and exiles, destroyed their archives and libraries, they lost many colleagues, friends and students but were lucky enough to save lives and in some cases to begin the career overseas. We begin with the person of Jan Czochralski, world famous metallurgist, discoverer of the technique of producing metal monocrystals `the Czochralski methode’ and inventor of duraluminum and the `bahnalloy’ who started his career and obtained its heights in Germany, later returned to Poland, became a professor at the Warsaw Polytechnical, played an important role in cultural life of Warsaw, lived in Warsaw through the second world war and the Warsaw Uprising of August-September 1944 and after the war was accused of cooperating ith occupying German forces and though judged innocent was literally erased from the public life and any information about him obliterated. -
Registration Form for Polish Scientific Institution 1. Research Institution Data (Name and Address): Faculty of Mathematics
Registration form for Polish scientific institution 1. Research institution data (name and address): Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics University of Warsaw Krakowskie Przedmiescie 26/28 00-927 Warszawa. 2. Type of research institution: 1. Basic organisational unit of higher education institution 3. Head of the institution: dr hab. Maciej Duszczyk - Vice-Rector for Research and International Relations 4. Contact information of designated person(s) for applicants and NCN (first and last name, position, e-mail address, phone number, correspondence address): Prof. dr hab. Anna Gambin, Deputy dean of research and international cooperation, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics, Banacha 2 02-097 Warsaw, +48 22 55 44 212, [email protected] 5. Science discipline in which strong international position of the institution ensures establishing a Dioscuri Centre (select one out of 25 listed disciplines): Natural Sciences and Technology disciplines: 1) Mathematics 6. Description of important research achievements from the selected discipline from the last 5 years including list of the most important publications, patents, other (up to one page in A4 format): The institution and its faculty. UW is the leading Polish department of mathematics and one of the islands of excellence on the map of Polish science. Our strength arises not only from past achievements, but also from on-going scientific activities that attract new generations of young mathematicians from the whole of Poland. The following is a non-exhaustive list of important results published no earlier than 2016 obtained by mathematicians from MIM UW. Research articles based on these results have appeared or will appear in, among other venues, Ann. -
L. Maligranda REVIEW of the BOOK by MARIUSZ URBANEK
Математичнi Студiї. Т.50, №1 Matematychni Studii. V.50, No.1 УДК 51 L. Maligranda REVIEW OF THE BOOK BY MARIUSZ URBANEK, “GENIALNI – LWOWSKA SZKOL A MATEMATYCZNA” (POLISH) [GENIUSES – THE LVOV SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS] L. Maligranda. Review of the book by Mariusz Urbanek, “Genialni – Lwowska Szko la Matema- tyczna” (Polish) [Geniuses – the Lvov school of mathematics], Wydawnictwo Iskry, Warsaw 2014, 283 pp. ISBN: 978-83-244-0381-3 , Mat. Stud. 50 (2018), 105–112. This review is an extended version of my short review of Urbanek's book that was published in MathSciNet. Here it is written about his book in greater detail, which was not possible in the short review. I will present facts described in the book as well as some false information there. My short review of Urbanek’s book was published in MathSciNet [24]. Here I write about his book in greater detail. Mariusz Urbanek, writer and journalist, author of many books devoted to poets, politicians and other figures of public life, decided to delve also in the world of mathematicians. He has written a book on the phenomenon in the history of Polish science called the Lvov School of Mathematics. Let us add that at the same time there were also the Warsaw School of Mathematics and the Krakow School of Mathematics, and the three formed together the Polish School of Mathematics. The Lvov School of Mathematics was a group of mathematicians in the Polish city of Lvov (Lw´ow,in Polish; now the city is in Ukraine) in the period 1920–1945 under the leadership of Stefan Banach and Hugo Steinhaus, who worked together and often came to the Scottish Caf´e (Kawiarnia Szkocka) to discuss mathematical problems. -
NOTE the Theorem on Planar Graphs
HISTORIA MATHEMATICA 12(19X5). 356-368 NOTE The Theorem on Planar Graphs JOHN W. KENNEDY AND LOUIS V. QUINTAS Mathematics Department, Pace University, Pace Plaza, New York, New York, 10038 AND MACEJ M. SYSKO Institute of Computer Science, University of Wroc+aw, ul. Prz,esyckiego 20, 511.51 Wroclow, Poland In the late 1920s several mathematicians were on the verge of discovering a theorem for characterizing planar graphs. The proof of such a theorem was published in 1930 by Kazi- mierz Kuratowski, and soon thereafter the theorem was referred to as the Kuratowski Theorem. It has since become the most frequently cited result in graph theory. Recently, the name of Pontryagin has been coupled with that of Kuratowski when identifying this result. The events related to this development are examined with the object of determining to whom and in what proportion the credit should be given for the discovery of this theorem. 0 1985 AcademicPress. Inc Pendant les 1920s avancts quelques mathkmaticiens &aient B la veille de dCcouvrir un theor&me pour caracttriser les graphes planaires. La preuve d’un tel th6or&me a et6 publiCe en 1930 par Kazimierz Kuratowski, et t6t apres cela, on a appele ce thCor&me le ThCortime de Kuratowski. Depuis ce temps, c’est le rtsultat le plus citC de la thCorie des graphes. Rtcemment le nom de Pontryagin a &e coup16 avec celui de Kuratowski en parlant de ce r&&at. Nous examinons les CvCnements relatifs g ce dCveloppement pour determiner 2 qui et dans quelle proportion on devrait attribuer le mtrite de la dCcouverte de ce th6oreme. -
My Dear Colleague! [1/2] Thank You for the Cards and Congratulations
Ithaca, N.Y. 6.I.1940 [1/1] My Dear Colleague! [1/2] Thank you for the cards and congratulations. I [1/3] have not written you in for a long while because I did not receive [1/4] any answers to two letters [1/5] and I did not know what that meant. To Bloch [1/6] I wrote often and without results. I even had [1/7] the impression that he went back to Poland. [1/8] With me everything is in the best order. [1/9] I have familiarized myself with the regulations [1/10] and shortly I will begin applying for a non-quota visa. [1/11] I was told by the National Refugee Service that the matter is [1/12] easy. I only have to sign a few papers, [1/13] but that usually takes a while. [1/14] My parents sent me news that they are alive [1/15] and healthy. They are in the Russian portion. In Warsaw and [1/16] in the German part in general there are supposedly [1/17] some horrific things happening. [1/18] I have nothing from Steinhaus. Zygmund1 will probably [1/19] arrive at M.I.T. for next [1/20] semester. I was told2 that Marcinkiewicz and Kaczmarz3 [1/21] were shot because they were officers.4 [2/1] All of it is monstrous and sometimes5 I just don’t want to [2/2] think about it. [2/3] I hope that you are doing well [2/4] and that you are satisfied like I am. -
COMPLEXITY of CURVES 1. Introduction in This Note We Study
COMPLEXITY OF CURVES UDAYAN B. DARJI AND ALBERTO MARCONE Abstract. We show that each of the classes of hereditarily locally connected, 1 ¯nitely Suslinian, and Suslinian continua is ¦1-complete, while the class of 0 regular continua is ¦4-complete. 1. Introduction In this note we study some natural classes of continua from the viewpoint of descriptive set theory: motivations, style and spirit are the same of papers such as [Dar00], [CDM02], and [Kru03]. Pol and Pol use similar techniques to study problems in continuum theory in [PP00]. By a continuum we always mean a compact and connected metric space. A subcontinuum of a continuum X is a subset of X which is also a continuum. A continuum is nondegenerate if it contains more than one point. A curve is a one- dimensional continuum. Let us start with the de¯nitions of some classes of continua: all these can be found in [Nad92], which is our main reference for continuum theory. De¯nition 1.1. A continuum X is hereditarily locally connected if every subcon- tinuum of X is locally connected, i.e. a Peano continuum. A continuum X is hereditarily decomposable if every nondegenerate subcontin- uum of X is decomposable, i.e. is the union of two proper subcontinua. A continuum X is regular if every point of X has a neighborhood basis consisting of sets with ¯nite boundary. A continuum X is rational if every point of X has a neighborhood basis consisting of sets with countable boundary. The following classes of continua were de¯ned by Lelek in [Lel71]. -
Academic Genealogy of the Oakland University Department Of
Basilios Bessarion Mystras 1436 Guarino da Verona Johannes Argyropoulos 1408 Università di Padova 1444 Academic Genealogy of the Oakland University Vittorino da Feltre Marsilio Ficino Cristoforo Landino Università di Padova 1416 Università di Firenze 1462 Theodoros Gazes Ognibene (Omnibonus Leonicenus) Bonisoli da Lonigo Angelo Poliziano Florens Florentius Radwyn Radewyns Geert Gerardus Magnus Groote Università di Mantova 1433 Università di Mantova Università di Firenze 1477 Constantinople 1433 DepartmentThe Mathematics Genealogy Project of is a serviceMathematics of North Dakota State University and and the American Statistics Mathematical Society. Demetrios Chalcocondyles http://www.mathgenealogy.org/ Heinrich von Langenstein Gaetano da Thiene Sigismondo Polcastro Leo Outers Moses Perez Scipione Fortiguerra Rudolf Agricola Thomas von Kempen à Kempis Jacob ben Jehiel Loans Accademia Romana 1452 Université de Paris 1363, 1375 Université Catholique de Louvain 1485 Università di Firenze 1493 Università degli Studi di Ferrara 1478 Mystras 1452 Jan Standonck Johann (Johannes Kapnion) Reuchlin Johannes von Gmunden Nicoletto Vernia Pietro Roccabonella Pelope Maarten (Martinus Dorpius) van Dorp Jean Tagault François Dubois Janus Lascaris Girolamo (Hieronymus Aleander) Aleandro Matthaeus Adrianus Alexander Hegius Johannes Stöffler Collège Sainte-Barbe 1474 Universität Basel 1477 Universität Wien 1406 Università di Padova Università di Padova Université Catholique de Louvain 1504, 1515 Université de Paris 1516 Università di Padova 1472 Università -
L. Maligranda REVIEW of the BOOK by ROMAN
Математичнi Студiї. Т.46, №2 Matematychni Studii. V.46, No.2 УДК 51 L. Maligranda REVIEW OF THE BOOK BY ROMAN DUDA, “PEARLS FROM A LOST CITY. THE LVOV SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS” L. Maligranda. Review of the book by Roman Duda, “Pearls from a lost city. The Lvov school of mathematics”, Mat. Stud. 46 (2016), 203–216. This review is an extended version of my two short reviews of Duda's book that were published in MathSciNet and Mathematical Intelligencer. Here it is written about the Lvov School of Mathematics in greater detail, which I could not do in the short reviews. There are facts described in the book as well as some information the books lacks as, for instance, the information about the planned print in Mathematical Monographs of the second volume of Banach's book and also books by Mazur, Schauder and Tarski. My two short reviews of Duda’s book were published in MathSciNet [16] and Mathematical Intelligencer [17]. Here I write about the Lvov School of Mathematics in greater detail, which was not possible in the short reviews. I will present the facts described in the book as well as some information the books lacks as, for instance, the information about the planned print in Mathematical Monographs of the second volume of Banach’s book and also books by Mazur, Schauder and Tarski. So let us start with a discussion about Duda’s book. In 1795 Poland was partioned among Austria, Russia and Prussia (Germany was not yet unified) and at the end of 1918 Poland became an independent country.