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Book Reviews

In: The Mathematics of Time

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  • Stephen Smale

Abstract

For the general public, catastrophe theory (or CT) has become the biggest thing in mathematics. René Thorn and Christopher Zeeman are the two leaders of this field. L’Express (October 14–30, 1974) asserts that the “new Newton” is French (i.e. Thorn). An announcement of Zeeman’s lecture at Northwestern University in the spring of 1977 contains a quote describing catastrophe theory as the most important development in mathematics since the invention of calculus 300 years ago. Newsweek has given similar comparisons. Zeeman juxtaposes Newton and Thorn in the volume under review (briefly ZCT), p. 623. Thorn writes “... CT is-quite likely-the first coherent attempt (since Aristotelian Logic) to give a theory on analogy” [p. 637, ZCT]. On the back cover of Thorn’s book, Structural stability and morphogenesis [English translation, Benjamin, 1975 or Thorn’s SSM], is the quote from the London Times review, “In one sense the only book with which it can be compared is Newton’s Principia”

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Smale, 1980. "Book Reviews," Springer Books, in: The Mathematics of Time, pages 128-136, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-1-4613-8101-3_8
    DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4613-8101-3_8
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