At the beginning of this century Emil Picard wrote: "Les equations differentielles de la mecanique classique sont telles qu 'il en resulte que le mouvement est determine par la simple connaissance des positions et des vitesses, c 'est-a-dire par l 'etat a un instant donne et a ['instant infiniment voison. Les etats anterieurs n'y intervenant pas, l'heredite y est un vain mot. L 'application de ces equations ou le passe ne se distingue pas de l 'avenir, ou les mouvements sont de nature reversible, sont done inapplicables aux etres vivants". "Nous pouvons rever d'equations fonctionnelles plus compliquees que les equations classiques parce qu 'elles renfermeront en outre des integrates prises entre un temps passe tres eloigne et le temps actuel, qui apporteront la part de l'heredite". (See "La mathematique dans ses rapports avec la physique, Actes du rv* congres international des Mathematiciens, Rome, 1908. ) Many years have passed since this publication. These years have seen substantial progress in many aspects of Functional Differential Equations (FDEs ). A distinguishing feature of the FDEs under consideration is that the evolution rate of the proc{lsses described by such equations depends on the past history. The discipline of FDEs has grown tremendously, and publication of literature has increased perhaps twofold over publication in the previous decade. Several new scientific journals have been introduced to absorb this increased productivity. These journals reflect the broadening interests of scientists, with ever greater attention being paid to applications.

At the beginning of this century Emil Picard wrote: "Les equations differentielles de la mecanique classique sont telles qu 'il en resulte que le mouvement est determine par la simple connaissance des positions et des vitesses, c 'est-a-dire par l 'etat a un instant donne et a ['instant infiniment voison. Les etats anterieurs n'y intervenant pas, l'heredite y est un vain mot. L 'application de ces equations ou le passe ne se distingue pas de l 'avenir, ou les mouvements sont de nature reversible, sont done inapplicables aux etres vivants". "Nous pouvons rever d'equations fonctionnelles plus compliquees que les equations classiques parce qu 'elles renfermeront en outre des integrates prises entre un temps passe tres eloigne et le temps actuel, qui apporteront la part de l'heredite". (See "La mathematique dans ses rapports avec la physique, Actes du rv* congres international des Mathematiciens, Rome, 1908. ) Many years have passed since this publication. These years have seen substantial progress in many aspects of Functional Differential Equations (FDEs ). A distinguishing feature of the FDEs under consideration is that the evolution rate of the proc{lsses described by such equations depends on the past history. The discipline of FDEs has grown tremendously, and publication of literature has increased perhaps twofold over publication in the previous decade. Several new scientific journals have been introduced to absorb this increased productivity. These journals reflect the broadening interests of scientists, with ever greater attention being paid to applications.

This volume provides an introduction to the properties of functional differential equations and their applications in diverse fields such as immunology, nuclear power generation, heat transfer, signal processing, medicine and economics. In particular, it deals with problems and methods relating to systems having a memory (hereditary systems). The book contains eight chapters. Chapter 1 explains where functional differential equations come from and what sort of problems arise in applications. Chapter 2 gives a broad introduction to the basic principle involved and deals with systems having discrete and distributed delay. Chapters 3-5 are devoted to stability problems for retarded, neutral and stochastic functional differential equations. Problems of optimal control and estimation are considered in Chapters 6-8. For applied mathematicians, engineers, and physicists whose work involves mathematical modeling of hereditary systems. This volume can also be recommended as a supplementary text for graduate students who wish to become better acquainted with the properties and applications of functional differential equations.

'E.t moi, .. " si j'avait su comment en revenir, One service mathematics has rendered the human race. It has put common sense back je n'y serais point aile.' Jules Verne where it belongs, on the topmost shelf nex t to the dusty canister labelled 'discarded non- The series is divergent; thererore we may be sense'. able to do something with it. Eric T. Bell O. Heaviside Mathematics is a tool for thought. A highly necessary tool in a world where both feedback and non linearities abound. Similarly, all kinds of parts of mathematics serve as tools for other parts and for other sciences. Applying a simple rewriting rule to the quote on the right above one finds such statements as: 'One service topology has rendered mathematical physics .. .'; 'One service logic has rendered com puter science .. .'; 'One service category theory has rendered mathematics .. .'. All arguably true. And all statements obtainable this way form part of the raison d'etre of this series."