Dantzig T. Henri Poincaré, Critic of Crisis: Reflections on His Universe of Discourse. 1968.
Dantzig T. Henri Poincaré, Critic of Crisis: Reflections on His Universe of Discourse. - Greenwood Press, 1968. - 149 p.
download (DjVu)
The crisis in the foundations of the exact sciences, which had begun during Poincare's lifetime, did not reach a climax till decades after his death. His analysis of the issues of his time foreshadowed the trend; but, deep as was his insight and broad as was his horizon, even he could not have foreseen the extent and ramifications of the imminent upheaval. This circumstance posed a serious dilemma to the writer of the present book. Should he confine the work to an analysis of Poincare's scientific philosophy, as reflected in the writings of the great thinker, studiously avoiding comments on the epochmaking events which took place after his death? Or should he present his own reactions to those events and to the issues raised by these events as corollaries to Poincare's philosophy, supporting these arrogations by specious quotations from chapter and verse?
After much deliberation the author found a third course open to him. The essays here assembled are not intended as chapters of a systematic exposition of the scientific philosophy of Poincare. They are—to use a musical idom—at best, variations on themes of Poincare. The author does not pretend that he has interpreted the contemporary issues of science as Poincare would have seen these issues, had he lived to see them. He does believe, however, that he has interpreted these issues in the light of the teachings of the great thinker.