By David Ruelle

The Mathematician's mind poses a provocative query concerning the world's such a lot impressive but eccentric mathematical minds: have been they outstanding as a result of their eccentricities or regardless of them? during this thought-provoking and wonderful publication, David Ruelle, the well known mathematical physicist who helped create chaos idea, offers us an extraordinary insider's account of the distinguished mathematicians he has known-their quirks, oddities, own tragedies, undesirable habit, descents into insanity, tragic ends, and the chic, inexpressible fantastic thing about their so much breathtaking mathematical discoveries.

reflect on the case of British mathematician Alan Turing. Credited with cracking the German Enigma code in the course of international conflict II and conceiving of the fashionable computing device, he used to be convicted of "gross indecency" for a gay affair and died in 1954 after consuming a cyanide-laced apple--his loss of life was once governed a suicide, even though rumors of assassination nonetheless linger. Ruelle holds not anything again in his revealing and deeply own reflections on Turing and different fellow mathematicians, together with Alexander Grothendieck, René Thom, Bernhard Riemann, and Felix Klein. yet this publication is greater than a mathematical tell-all. each one bankruptcy examines a major mathematical inspiration and the visionary minds at the back of it. Ruelle meaningfully explores the philosophical matters raised by means of every one, delivering insights into the really detailed and artistic methods mathematicians imagine and exhibiting how the mathematical environment is such a lot favorable for asking philosophical questions about which means, attractiveness, and the character of reality.

The Mathematician's mind takes you contained in the world--and heads--of mathematicians. it is a trip you will not quickly forget.