Indiscrete Thoughts [Hardcover]

Gian-Carlo Rota (Author), Fabrizio Palombi (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 18, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0817638660 | ISBN-13: 978-0817638665 | Edition: 3rd printing 2000

Indiscrete Thoughts gives a glimpse into a world that has seldom been described that of science and technology as seen through the eyes of a mathematician. The era covered by this book, 1950 to 1990, was surely one of the golden ages of science as well as the American university.

Cherished myths are debunked along the way as Gian-Carlo Rota takes pleasure in portraying, warts and all, some of the great scientific personalities of the period —Stanislav Ulam (who, together with Edward Teller, signed the patent application for the hydrogen bomb), Solomon Lefschetz (Chairman in the 50s of the Princeton mathematics department), William Feller (one of the founders of modern probability theory), Jack Schwartz (one of the founders of computer science), and many others.

Rota is not afraid of controversy. Some readers may even consider these essays indiscreet. After the publication of the essay "The Pernicious Influence of Mathematics upon Philosophy" (reprinted six times in five languages) the author was blacklisted in analytical philosophy circles. Indiscrete Thoughts should become an instant classic and the subject of debate for decades to come.

"Read Indiscrete Thoughts for its account of the way we were and what we have become; for its sensible advice and its exuberant rhetoric."--The Mathematical Intelligencer

"Learned, thought-provoking, politically incorrect, delighting in paradox, and likely to offend—but everywhere readable and entertaining."--The American Mathematical Monthly

"It is about mathematicians, the way they think, and the world in which the live. It is 260 pages of Rota calling it like he sees it... Readers are bound to find his observations amusing if not insightful. Gian-Carlo Rota has written the sort of book that few mathematicians could write. What will appeal immediately to anyone with an interest in research mathematics are the stories he tells about the practice of modern mathematics."--MAA Reviews

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews:

"Read Indiscrete Thoughts for its account of the way we were and what we have become; for its sensible advice and its exuberant rhetoric."

--The Mathematical Intelligencer

"Learned, thought-provoking, politically incorrect, delighting in paradox, and likely to offend—but everywhere readable and entertaining."

--The American Mathematical Monthly

"It is about mathematicians, the way they think, and the world in which the live. It is 260 pages of Rota calling it like he sees it... Readers are bound to find his observations amusing if not insightful. Gian-Carlo Rota has written the sort of book that few mathematicians could write. What will appeal immediately to anyone with an interest in research mathematics are the stories he tells about the practice of modern mathematics."

--MAA Reviews

"This is a paperback reprint, in the Modern Birkhäuser Classics series, of a book first published in 1997. It has aged very well, and richly deserves its inclusion in this series. … an excellent book, fun to read, and interesting to think about." (Fernando Q. Gouvêa, MathDL, January, 2008)

From the Back Cover

Indiscrete Thoughts gives a glimpse into a world that has seldom been described, that of science and technology as seen through the eyes of a mathematician. The era covered by this book, 1950 to 1990, was surely one of the golden ages of science as well as of the American university. Cherished myths are debunked along the way as Gian-Carlo Rota takes pleasure in portraying, warts and all, some of the great scientific personalities of the period —Stanislav Ulam (who, together with Edward Teller, signed the patent application for the hydrogen bomb), Solomon Lefschetz (Chairman in the 1950s of the Princeton mathematics department), William Feller (one of the founders of modern probability theory), Jack Schwartz (one of the founders of computer science), and many others. Rota is not afraid of controversy. Some readers may even consider these essays indiscreet. After the publication of the essay "The Pernicious Influence of Mathematics upon Philosophy" (reprinted six times in five languages) the author was blacklisted in analytical philosophy circles. Indiscrete Thoughts should become an instant classic and the subject of debate for decades to come. "Read Indiscrete Thoughts for its account of the way we were and what we have become; for its sensible advice and its exuberant rhetoric."--The Mathematical Intelligencer "Learned, thought-provoking, politically incorrect, delighting in paradox, and likely to offend—but everywhere readable and entertaining."--The American Mathematical Monthly "It is about mathematicians, the way they think, and the world in which they live. It is 260 pages of Rota calling it like he sees it... Readers are bound to find his observations amusing if not insightful. Gian-Carlo Rota has written the sort of book that few mathematicians could write. What will appeal immediately to anyone with an interest in research mathematics are the stories he tells about the practice of modern mathematics."--MAA Reviews --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 280 pages
• Publisher: Birkhäuser Boston; 3rd printing 2000 edition (December 18, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817638660
• ISBN-13: 978-0817638665
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #380,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Philosopher With an Axe To Grind, December 9, 1998

By 

Bob Burton([e-mail]) (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Indiscrete Thoughts (Hardcover)

It appears that Gian-Carlo Rota straddled the boundary between mathematics and philosophy for quite a while before drifting over to the latter realm, where he focuses his energies, at least in this book, on the history and ontology of mathematics. As a devout phenomenologist, a dedicated follower of Heidegger and Husserl, he takes up arms against the established pieties of his fellow mathematicians: that mathematics is a formal system, or an abstract structure, or an orderly progression of theorems and proofs. Stuff and nonsense! sayeth Rota; mathematics is the whole fuzzy blob of whatever it is that mathematicians actually do when they're doing mathematics.

I couldn't disagree more. But I'm awed by the man's insights, and, even when his arguments seem riddled with holes, I want to stick with him. No, more than that: I want him here in the room with me so that I can alternately praise him and force him to see the truth.

My guess is that Rota's career as a philosopher is motivated in large part by an innate desire to debunk and a love of argumentation. He's an outrageous fellow and a pleasure to read.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mathematicians exposed, October 20, 2002

By 

Jaime Silvela - See all my reviews

This review is from: Indiscrete Thoughts (Hardcover)

This book is a pleasure to read, whether or not you're interested in math or philosophy. It stands on the premise that when speaking or writing of science and scientists, we should acknowledge their fallibility and avoid myths. Rota believes the mythification of science and scientists is responsible for many of the flaws in education and science in general.

Accordingly, Rota attempts in this book to show us mathematicians behind the scenes. He exposes the prejudices, mannerisms and also the nice traits of giants such as John von Neumann, Stanislaw Ulam, Willi Feller, Norbert Wiener. His portraits are not based on dull facts, but on lively anecdotes, and you really get a sense of the people he describes. I wish professional biographers took note. Rota also speaks of mathematics and philosophy, again debunking myths and exposing clearly the underlying trends.

As a writer, Rota is fantastic. Through his brief sketches of people, places and events, a connected whole emerges. The clarity of his writing and thought, and his obvious pleasure with words, remind me of Norman Maclean's "A River Runs Through it". A bit like poetry in prose.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Collected wisdoms, April 11, 2001

By 

Michael Demkowicz "[e-mail]" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Indiscrete Thoughts (Hardcover)

Great mathematicians and philosophers can clearly teach us mathematics and philosophy, but I've always thought they could offer more. As critical and itelligent observers, they can draw attention to unsolved problems. As individuals often privy to the greatest genius of their time, they can pass on the odd bits and pieces of wisdom they inevitably pick up, but can't easily fit into any coherent system.

In this book, Gian-Carlo Rota does what I wish more accomplished figures would do: he writes down a motley asortment of wisdoms he collected throughout his life along with a number of pressing questions he never saw answered. True, there is no one overarching theme in his thoughts, nor does he defend any one particular thesis, but few of us have ever synthesized our thoughts into a coherent system.

Like any good educator, Rota doesn't patronize, nor does he dwell on personal reminiscences. "Indiscrete Thoughts" is his way of exiting the scene, leaving behind all the unfinished business of his day for the next generation of mathematicians and philosophers to pick up.