Vito Volterra (1860-1940) was one of the most famous representatives of Italian science in his day. Angelo Guerragio and Giovanni Paolini analyze Volterra s most important contributions to mathematics and their applications, as well as his outstanding organizational achievements in scientific policy. Volterra was one of the founding fathers of functional analysis and the author of fundamental contributions in the field of integral equations, elasticity theory and population dynamics (Lotka-Volterra model). He delivered keynote lectures on the occasion of the International Congresses of Mathematicians held in Paris (1900), Rome (1908), Strasbourg (1920) and Bologna (1928). He became involved in the scientific development in united Italy and was appointed senator of the kingdom in 1905. One of his numerous non-mathematical activities was founding the National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR).During the First World War he was active in military research. After the war he took a clear stand against fascism, which was the starting point for his exclusion. In 1926 he resigned as president of the world famous Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei and was later on excluded from the academy. In 1931 he was one of the few university lecturers who denied to swear an oath of allegiance to the fascistic regime. In 1938 he suffered from the impact of the racial laws. The authors draw a comprehensive picture of Vito Volterra, both as a great mathematician and an organizer of science.

This book describes Italian mathematics in the period between the two World Wars. We analyze its development by focusing on both the interior and the external influences. Italian mathematics in that period was shaped by a colorful array of strong personalities who concentrated their efforts on a select number of fields and won international recognition and respect in an incredibly short time. Consequently, Italy was considered a third "mathematical power" after France and Germany, and qualified Italian universities became indispensable stops on the "tour," organized for the improvement of young foreign mathematicians. At that time, Italy was also dominated by a fascist regime. This political situation and the social and academic structure of Italian society are included in the analysis as influences external to mathematics itself. The authors have provided a fascinating study of a most difficult time in the history of the world and of mathematics.

Steps forward in mathematics often reverberate in other scientific disciplines, and give rise to innovative conceptual developments or find surprising technological applications. This volume brings to the forefront some of the proponents of the mathematics of the twentieth century, who have put at our disposal new and powerful instruments for investigating the reality around us. The portraits present people who have impressive charisma and wide-ranging cultural interests, who are passionate about defending the importance of their own research, are sensitive to beauty, and attentive to the social and political problems of their times. What we have sought to document is mathematics' central position in the culture of our day. Space has been made not only for the great mathematicians but also for literary texts, including contributions by two apparent interlopers, Robert Musil and Raymond Queneau, for whom mathematical concepts represented a valuable tool for resolving the struggle between 'soul and precision.'

Vito Volterra (1860-1940) was one of the most famous representatives of Italian science in his day. Angelo Guerragio and Giovanni Paolini analyze Volterra's most important contributions to mathematics and their applications, as well as his outstanding organizational achievements in scientific policy. Volterra was one of the founding fathers of functional analysis and the author of fundamental contributions in the field of integral equations, elasticity theory and population dynamics (Lotka-Volterra model). He delivered keynote lectures on the occasion of the International Congresses of Mathematicians held in Paris (1900), Rome (1908), Strasbourg (1920) and Bologna (1928). He became involved in the scientific development in united Italy and was appointed senator of the kingdom in 1905. One of his numerous non-mathematical activities was founding the National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR). During the First World War he was active in military research. After the war he took a clear stand against fascism, which was the starting point for his exclusion. In 1926 he resigned as president of the world famous Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei and was later on excluded from the academy. In 1931 he was one of the few university lecturers who denied to swear an oath of allegiance to the fascistic regime. In 1938 he suffered from the impact of the racial laws. The authors draw a comprehensive picture of Vito Volterra, both as a great mathematician and an organizer of science.

Der Mathematiker Vito Volterra (1860 1940) war nicht nur ein grosser Mathematiker, sondern auch ein guter Wissenschaftsorganisator. Uber Jahrzehnte galt er als der bedeutendste Reprasentant der Wissenschaft in Italien. Die Autoren rekonstruieren seine wichtigsten Beitrage zur Wissenschaft und zur Entwicklung der wissenschaftlichen Institutionen in Italien und der Welt: von der Entwicklung der Funktionalanalysis uber die Untersuchung der Populationsdynamik bis zu seiner Lehrtatigkeit und der Grundung des staatlichen italienischen Forschungsrates."

Steps forward in mathematics often reverberate in other scientific disciplines, and give rise to innovative conceptual developments or find surprising technological applications. This volume brings to the forefront some of the proponents of the mathematics of the twentieth century, who have put at our disposal new and powerful instruments for investigating the reality around us. The portraits present people who have impressive charisma and wide-ranging cultural interests, who are passionate about defending the importance of their own research, are sensitive to beauty, and attentive to the social and political problems of their times. What we have sought to document is mathematics' central position in the culture of our day. Space has been made not only for the great mathematicians but also for literary texts, including contributions by two apparent interlopers, Robert Musil and Raymond Queneau, for whom mathematical concepts represented a valuable tool for resolving the struggle between 'soul and precision.'

20 anni fa anzi qualcuno in piu iniziava le sue pubblicazioni Lettera Matematica PRISTEM, espressione di un gruppo di ricerca della Bocconi cui aderiscono anche docenti e studiosi di altre Universita. La Lettera ha rappresentato un tentativo coraggioso di svecchiare la comunicazione matematica, di renderla meno accademica e piu giornalistica con l uso delle immagini, del colore e di un linguaggio diretto. Un tentativo di inserire la Matematica nei piu ampi processi che riguardano la scuola e la societa.

In questo libro, i tre direttori della rivista sfogliano le sue annate per ricordare storie e personaggi (matematici e non) attorno a cui la Lettera e cresciuta e che di fatto hanno contribuito alla formazione della sua linea editoriale.

Le testimonianze, i ricordi e i commenti sono seguiti anno per anno da un articolo comparso quell anno sulla Lettera . Ne esce una descrizione del mondo matematico, visto dall interno, molto piu vivace di quanto solitamente si pensa che sia. Altro che semplice calcolo La Matematica va avanti e la Lettera racconta in quali direzioni. Talora procede con appassionate discussioni e qualche polemica che accompagna la ricerca o l insegnamento o la gestione delle istituzioni scientifiche: anche di queste, in 20 anni, la Lettera ha cercato di dare puntualmente conto.