Mathematics and War
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Author(s): B. Booß-Bavnbek and J. Høyrup (Eds)
Publisher: Birkhäuser
ISBN: 3764316349
Format: softback
416pp
Price: €39
Review Date: 24 October 2003
Review: Just after the war in Kosova, an International Meeting on Mathematics and War was held in Sweden. The objectives of this meeting were: to look at the extent to which the military has played an active part, throughout history, in shaping modern mathematics; to investigate whether mathematical thinking, mathematical methods, and mathematically supported technology can change the character and performance of modern warfare; to look at the ethical choices of outstanding physicists and mathematicians in history; and to examine the role of mathematical thinking in shaping the modern international law of war an peace. The twenty chapters in this book have come out of this meeting. They are divided into four sections, the first being ‘Perspectives of Mathematics’, which looks at the history of mathematics and the role of mathematicians, mainly during WW2. The other four parts are: ‘Perspectives from the Military’, ‘Ethical Issues’ (of scientist such as Turing and Neils Bohr), and ‘Enlightenment perspectives’ (mathematical thinking and international law, mathematical modelling of conflict and cooperation).