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Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society

The Bulletin publishes expository articles on contemporary mathematical research, written in a way that gives insight to mathematicians who may not be experts in the particular topic. The Bulletin also publishes reviews of selected books in mathematics and short articles in the Mathematical Perspectives section, both by invitation only.

ISSN 1088-9485 (online) ISSN 0273-0979 (print)

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Perspectives on American mathematics
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by Karen Hunger Parshall PDF
Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 37 (2000), 381-405 Request permission

Abstract:

A research-level community of mathematicians developed in the United States in the closing quarter of the nineteenth century. Since that time, American mathematicians have regularly paused to assess the state of their community and to reflect on its mathematical output. This paper analyzes a series of such reflections—beginning with Simon Newcomb’s thoughts on the state of the exact sciences in America in 1874 and culminating with the 1988 commentaries on the “problems of mathematics" discussed at Princeton’s bicentennial celebrations in 1946—against a backdrop of broader historical trends.
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Additional Information
  • Karen Hunger Parshall
  • Affiliation: Departments of History and Mathematics, University of Virginia, Kerchof Hall, Charlottesville, VA 22903-3199
  • MR Author ID: 215967
  • Email: khp3k@virginia.edu
  • Received by editor(s): January 28, 2000
  • Received by editor(s) in revised form: February 21, 2000
  • Published electronically: June 26, 2000
  • Additional Notes: An abbreviated version of this paper was presented as an MAA plenary address at the joint meetings of the AMS, MAA, and SIAM in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, 20 January 2000. I would like to thank those who offered comments and suggestions on the content of the talk.
  • © Copyright 2000 American Mathematical Society
  • Journal: Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 37 (2000), 381-405
  • MSC (2000): Primary 01A55, 01A60
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1090/S0273-0979-00-00873-9
  • MathSciNet review: 1779411