Discrete Thoughts

"‘Mathematicians, like Proust and everyone else, are at their best when writing about their first love’ … They are among the very best we have; and their best is very good indeed. … One approaches this book with high hopes. Happily, one is not disappointed."

"…In paperback it might well have become a best seller. …read it."

From The Mathematical Intelligencer

"Mathematics is shaped by the consistent concerns and styles of powerful minds —three of which are represented here. Kac’s work is marked by deep commitment and breadth of inquiry.

"Rota is the easiest of these authors to read…a delight: witty and urbane, with a clear and interesting agenda and an astonishing intellectual range. To read him is to be a part of a pleasant and rewarding conversation.

"Jacob T. Schwartz attacks problems in…computer science, mathematical economics, computer and instructional … No matter how slippery the problem, Schwartz manages to capture a substantial chunk of it in his mathematical net."

—Mathematics Magazine

This is a volume of essays and reviews that delightfully explore mathematics in all its moods — from the light and the witty, and humorous to serious, rational, and cerebral. Topics include: logic, combinatorics, statistics, economics, artificial intelligence, computer science, and applications of mathematics broadly. You will also find history and philosophy covered, including discussion of the work of Ulam, Kant, Heidegger among others.