Psychologists Look At Mathematicians

摘要

O ver sixty years ago E.T. Bell set out to write about mathe-maticians in a way which would grip the imagination ofthe educated public. His immensely readable book Men ofMathematics [7], first published in 1937, is still in print. In theintroduction Bell begins by emphasizing that his book is notintended, in any sense, to be a history of mathematics, and goeson: 'The lives of mathematicians presented here are addressed tothe general reader and to others who might wish to see what sortof human beings the men were who created modern mathemat-ics.' He continues: 'Two criteria have been applied in selectingnames for inclusion: the importance for modern mathematics ofa man's work; the human appeal of the man's life and character .... When these criteria clash ... the second has been given prece-dence, as we are primarily interested here in mathematicians ashuman beings.