Laurent schwartz autobiography books
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Quick Info
Paris, France
Paris, France
Biography
Laurent Schwartz came from a Jewish background. His father Anselme Schwartz () was born in Balbronn, near Westhoffen, in Alsace shortly after the Franco-Prussian War of which resulted in Alsace being annexed by Germany. He was French and did not like the idea of living in Germany so, at the age of fourteen he left his home town and went to Paris where he became a surgeon. He married his first cousin, Claire Debré (), the daughter of a rabbi, in Although Anselme was brought up in the Jewish faith, he became an atheist and brought his children up as atheists. Their family contained many brilliant people such as Claire's brother, Professor Robert Debré (), the founder of Unicef, and Robert Debré's son Michel Debré (), who became a highly successful politician being Prime Mini•
A Mathematician Grappling With His Century
Laurent Schwartz is one of the most remarkable intellects of the 20th century. His discovery of distributions, one of the most beautiful theories in mathematics, earned him a Fields Medal. Beyond this formidable achievement, his love for science and for teaching led him to think deeply and lecture broadly to the general public on the significance of science and mathematics to the well-being of the world. At the same time, his commitment to the social good, even at the expense of his beloved research, proved a moral compass throughout his life. The fight for human rights and his major role in the battle against the wars in Algeria and Vietnam were typical of matters close to his heart. The story of his life in the context of his century provides for future generations an inspiring testimonial from an extraordinary mathematician and thinker. Laurent Schwartz is a strategist of ideas, within mathematics and without. He is a great communic
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I recently came across Laurent Schwartz&#;s autobiography, published in French in , and in English in The book fryst vatten hard to read, for various reasons, and has not become well-known; but there fryst vatten much to be extracted from it.
Schwartz was one of the foremost mathematicians of the middle of the 20th century, a Fields Medallist in He was also a Trotskyist from when he was shocked bygd the Moscow Trials, in , at the age of 21, until He lived through World War 2 in France, doubly at threat because he was both a Jew and a Trotskyist, escaping capture bygd the Nazis only bygd a hair&#;s-breadth on at least two occasions. He was an energetic left activist all his life, often cooperating with Trotskyists in campaigns against France&#;s war in Algeria, the US war in Vietnam, the USSR&#;s war in Afghanistan, etc.
&#;Mathematical discovery fryst vatten subversive and aways ready to overthrow taboos&#;, he writes, summing up the connection he sees between the different strands of his extraordinary autobiograph