The book shows a very original organization addressing in a non traditional way, but with a systematic approach, to who has an interest in using mathematics in the social sciences.
The book is divided in four parts: (a) a historical part, written by Vittorio Capecchi which helps us understand the changes in the relationship between mathematics and sociology by analyzing the mathematical models of Paul F. Lazarsfeld, the model of simulation and artificial societies, models of artificial neural network and considering all the changes in scientific paradigms considered; (b) a part coordinated by Pier Luigi Contucci on mathematical models that consider the relationship between the mathematical models that come from physics and linguistics to arrive at the study of society and those which are born within sociology and economics; (c) a part coordinated by Massimo Buscema analyzing models of artificial neural networks; (d) a part coordinated by Bruno D'Amore which considers the relationship between mathematics and art.
The title of the book "Mathematics and Society" was chosen because the mathematical applications exposed in the book allow you to address two major issues: (a) the general theme of technological innovation and quality of life (among the essays are on display mathematical applications to the problems of combating pollution and crime, applications to mathematical problems of immigration, mathematical applications to the problems of medical diagnosis, etc.) (b) the general theme of technical innovation and creativity, for example the art and mathematics section which connects to the theme of creative cities.
The book is very original because it is not addressed only to those who are passionate about mathematical applications in social science but also to those who, in different societies, are: (a) involved in technological innovation to improve the quality of life; (b) involved in the wider distribution of technological innovation in different areas of creativity (as in the project "Creative Cities Network" of UNESCO).
VITTORIO CAPECCHI
Vittorio Capecchi ha avuto una laurea in economics e una specializzazione in mathematical sociology alla Columbia University con Paul F. Lazarsfeld ed è in seguito a questo incontro che nel 1967 ha fondato ed è diventato editor della rivista "Quality and Quantity". Dopo questa rivista ha fondato ed è diventato editor nel 1971 della rivista "Inchiesta", una rivista di economia e sociologia che ha cercato di diffondere la pratica dell’inchiesta fuori e all’interno dell’università. I suoi interessi vanno in due direzioni. Una prima direzione è quella della metodologia della ricerca e Capecchi ha studiato sia le applicazioni della matematica alla sociologia ma anche i cambiamenti nei paradigmi della ricerca (paradigma della oggettività, paradigma della ricerca azione/co-ricerca, paradigma della feminist methodology). Una seconda direzione è quella dello sviluppo e cambiamento della innovazione tecnologica.
PIERLUIGI CONTUCCI
Pierluigi Contucci is a Professor at University of Bologna, Department of Mathematics. He has taught and done scientific research at Princeton University and University of California. In 2000 he was been awarded the Schloessman prize from the Max Plank Society. His research interests are in Statistical Mechanics and applications to the social and economical sciences.
MASSIMO BUSCEMA
Massimo Buscema (1955). Professor and Computer Scientist, expert in Neural Networks and Adaptive Artificial Systems. Founder and Director of Semeion – Research Centre of Science and Communication (a Scientific Organization Recognized by Italian Ministry of Research in 1991). Professor and Director of the Department of Science of Communications at the University of Charleston (West Virginia-USA 1981-1985) and Professor of "Computers and Linguistics" at the University of Perugia (1984-1985). Member on the Editorial Board of various international journals. He has designed,constructed developed new models and algorithms of Artificial Intelligence. Author of scientific publications on theoretical aspects of Natural Computation, with over 150 scientific articles, essays, and 18 books on the same subject. Inventor of 14 international patents. He programmed over 20 software packages in Artificial Neural Networks and Evolutionary Systems. Scientific Director of research projects on the application of artificial intelligence systems in biomedical field and security field.
BRUNO D’AMORE
Bruno D’Amore is a graduate in mathematics, philosophy and pedagogy; PhD in Mathematics Education; full professor in Mathematics Education at the Bologna University; co-director of Research Doctoral School at the Distrital University of Bogotà (Colombia). Is investigation field is Mathematics Education.
CV complete:
www.dm.unibo.it/rsddm
