Ayoub Edits Anthology of Mathematical Musings

10 August 2005—Raymond G. Ayoub, professor emeritus of mathematics, has edited an anthology intended to expose lay audiences to the intuitive nature, as opposed to the purely formulative nature, of mathematics. Musings of the Masters: An Anthology of Mathematical Reflections was published recently by the Mathematical Association of America. This collection of articles covers a variety of “humanistic” topics, each selected particularly for their accessibility to literate readers who may not have a technical knowledge of mathematics. One object of the anthology is to open to the reader some of the thoughts and speculations of noted mathematicians, often on subjects outside the strict confines of mathematics.

The articles span almost a century and were written by mathematicians recognized by their peers as having added richly to the discipline. Some of the topics covered include: “The Unity of Knowledge” by Hermann Weyl, “Mathematics and the Arts” by Marston Morse, “The Highest Good” by Norbert Wiener, “Leonardo and Mathematics” by Francesco Severi, “Intuition, Reason, and Faith in Science” by George D. Birkhoff, and “Miscellaneous: Does God Exist?” by Paul Levy. Each article is preceded by a brief biographical sketch of the author, as well as a commentary by the editor to help the reader view the article in context.

Ayoub was on the faculty of the Department of Mathematics from 1952 until his retirement in 1984. He conducted research on the Theory of Numbers, as well as on the history and philosophy of mathematics. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from McGill University in 1943 and 1946, respectively, and received his doctoral degree from the University of Illinois in 1950.

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