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The modern developments in mathematical biology took place roughly
between 1920 and 1940, a period now referred to as the "Golden Age
of Theoretical Biology." The eminent Italian mathematician Vito
Volterra played a decisive and widely acknowledged role in these
developments. Volterra's specific project was to transfer the model
and the concepts of classical mechanics to biology, constructing a
sort of "rational mechanics" and an "analytic mechanics" of
biological associations. The new subject was thus to be equipped
with a solid experimental or at least empirical basis, also in this
case following the tried and tested example of mathematical
physics. Although very few specific features of this reductionist
programme have actually survived, Volterra's contribution was
decisive, as is now universally acknowledged, in encouraging fresh
studies in the field of mathematical biology. Even today, the
primary reference in the literature of the field of population
dynamics consists of Volterra's work and the descriptive schemata
(the "models," in modern parlance) he proposed. The present book
aims to fill this historiographic gap by providing an exhaustive
collection of the correspondence between Volterra and numerous
other scientists on the topic of mathematical biology. The book
begins with an introductory essay by Ana MillAn Gasca, which aims
at giving a picture of the research field of biomathematics in the
"Golden Age," and shows the importance of the correspondence in
this context. This is followed by a transcript of the
correspondence ordered by the correspondent's name. Each item is
preceded by a biographical profile of the correspondent and
accompanied by notes containing informationand references to
facilitate understanding. The book will be found useful not only by
science historians but also by all those - in particular,
biomathematicians and biologists - with an interest in the origins
of and events in a branch of learning that has undergone an
astonishing development. Many of the problems discussed - in
particular that of empirical verification - appear extremely
topical even today and in some cases could even fuel reflection on
topics still open to research.
Foreword The modern developments in mathematical biology took place
roughly between 1920 and 1940, a period now referred to as the
"Golden Age of Theoretical Biology." The eminent Italian
mathematician Vito Volterra played a decisive and widely
acknowledged role in these developments. Volterra's interest in the
application of mathematics to the non physical sciences, and to
biology and economics in particular, dates back to the turn of the
century and was expressed in his inaugural address at the
University of Rome for the academic year 1900/01 (VOLTERRA 1901).
Nevertheless, it was only in the mid-twenties that Volterra entered
the field in person, at the instigation of his son in law, Umberto
D'Ancona, who had confronted him with the problem of competition
among animal species, asking him whether a mathematical treatment
was possible. From that time on, until his death in 1940, Volterra
produced a huge output of publications on the subject. Volterra's
specific project was to transfer the model and the concepts of
classical mechanics to biology, constructing a sort of "rational
mechanics" and an "analytic mechanics" of biological associations.
The new subject was thus to be equipped with a solid experimental
or at least empirical basis, also in this case following the tried
and tested example of mathematical physics. Although very few
specific features of this reductionist programme have actually
survived, Volterra's contribution was decisive, as is now
universally acknowledged, in en couraging fresh studies in the
field of mathematical biology."
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