Ebook: The Biology of Numbers: The Correspondence of Vito Volterra on Mathematical Biology
- Tags: Mathematics general
- Series: Science Networks · Historical Studies 26
- Year: 2002
- Publisher: Birkhäuser Basel
- Edition: 1
- Language: English
- pdf
Foreword The modern developments in mathematical biology took place roughly between 1920 and 1940, a period now referred to as the "Golden Age of Theoretical Biology". The eminent Italian mathematician Vito Volterra played a decisive and widely acknowledged role in these developments. Volterra's interest in the application of mathematics to the non physical sciences, and to biology and economics in particular, dates back to the turn of the century and was expressed in his inaugural address at the University of Rome for the academic year 1900/01 (VOLTERRA 1901). Nevertheless, it was only in the mid-twenties that Volterra entered the field in person, at the instigation of his son in law, Umberto D'Ancona, who had confronted him with the problem of competition among animal species, asking him whether a mathematical treatment was possible. From that time on, until his death in 1940, Volterra produced a huge output of publications on the subject. Volterra's specific project was to transfer the model and the concepts of classical mechanics to biology, constructing a sort of "rational mechanics" and an "analytic mechanics" of biological associations. The new subject was thus to be equipped with a solid experimental or at least empirical basis, also in this case following the tried and tested example of mathematical physics. Although very few specific features of this reductionist programme have actually survived, Volterra's contribution was decisive, as is now universally acknowledged, in en couraging fresh studies in the field of mathematical biology.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-IX
Mathematical Theories versus Biological Facts: A Debate on Mathematical Population Dynamics in the 30s....Pages 1-54
Front Matter....Pages 55-55
Vito Volterra....Pages 56-58
Presentation of the Correspondence....Pages 59-60
Letters between Marcel Brelot and Vito Volterra....Pages 61-121
Letters between Royal N. Chapman and Vito Volterra....Pages 122-129
Letters between Umberto D’Ancona and Vito Volterra....Pages 130-200
Letters between Charles S. Elton and Vito Volterra....Pages 201-208
Letter between Karl Friederichs and Vito Volterra....Pages 209-210
Letters between Georgii F. Gause and Vito Volterra....Pages 211-215
Letters between Samuel A. Graham and Vito Volterra....Pages 216-220
Letters between William O. Kermack and Vito Volterra....Pages 221-222
Letters between Vladimir A. Kostitzin and Vito Volterra....Pages 223-266
Letters between Joseph Larmor and Vito Volterra....Pages 267-278
Letters between Alfred J. Lotka and Vito Volterra....Pages 279-288
Letters between Edouard Monod-Herzen and Vito Volterra....Pages 289-292
Letters between Raymond Pearl and Vito Volterra....Pages 293-302
Letters between Karl Pearson and Vito Volterra....Pages 303-305
Letters between Jean R?gnier and Vito Volterra....Pages 306-340
Letters between John Stanley and Vito Volterra....Pages 341-347
Letters between Georges Teissier and Vito Volterra....Pages 348-351
Front Matter....Pages 55-55
Letters between D’Arcy W. Thompson and Vito Volterra....Pages 352-367
Letters between William R. Thompson and Vito Volterra....Pages 368-373
Catalogue of Letters....Pages 374-388
References....Pages 389-405
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-IX
Mathematical Theories versus Biological Facts: A Debate on Mathematical Population Dynamics in the 30s....Pages 1-54
Front Matter....Pages 55-55
Vito Volterra....Pages 56-58
Presentation of the Correspondence....Pages 59-60
Letters between Marcel Brelot and Vito Volterra....Pages 61-121
Letters between Royal N. Chapman and Vito Volterra....Pages 122-129
Letters between Umberto D’Ancona and Vito Volterra....Pages 130-200
Letters between Charles S. Elton and Vito Volterra....Pages 201-208
Letter between Karl Friederichs and Vito Volterra....Pages 209-210
Letters between Georgii F. Gause and Vito Volterra....Pages 211-215
Letters between Samuel A. Graham and Vito Volterra....Pages 216-220
Letters between William O. Kermack and Vito Volterra....Pages 221-222
Letters between Vladimir A. Kostitzin and Vito Volterra....Pages 223-266
Letters between Joseph Larmor and Vito Volterra....Pages 267-278
Letters between Alfred J. Lotka and Vito Volterra....Pages 279-288
Letters between Edouard Monod-Herzen and Vito Volterra....Pages 289-292
Letters between Raymond Pearl and Vito Volterra....Pages 293-302
Letters between Karl Pearson and Vito Volterra....Pages 303-305
Letters between Jean R?gnier and Vito Volterra....Pages 306-340
Letters between John Stanley and Vito Volterra....Pages 341-347
Letters between Georges Teissier and Vito Volterra....Pages 348-351
Front Matter....Pages 55-55
Letters between D’Arcy W. Thompson and Vito Volterra....Pages 352-367
Letters between William R. Thompson and Vito Volterra....Pages 368-373
Catalogue of Letters....Pages 374-388
References....Pages 389-405
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