Document (#24885)

Author

Graham, L.R.

Title

Do mathematical equations display social attributes?

Source

Mathematical intelligencer. 22(2000) no.3, S.31-36

Year

2000

Abstract

In the aftermath of the publication in 1996 of the famous spoof article by the New York University physicist Alan Sokal many scientists and mathematicians have considered the thesis of social constructivists-those specialists in science studies who maintain that science is shaped by social and cultural factors-as discredited. Sokal's article was, indeed, very clever, and he was correct in ridiculing the views of the most extreme social constructivists. The basic issue of the controversy remains, however, unresolved. To what extent are science and mathematics affected by the society in which they are developed? In this article I will maintain that even the mathematical equations used by outstanding physicists sometimes display attributes of their social environment. In a book I published in 1998 I argued that Russia was a particularly appropriate environment in which to test the social constructivist hypothesis. In the twentieth century Russia has had a large scientific establishment in a social, economic, political, and philosophical environment quite different from that of leading Western countries. If environmental factors affect science, the effects of those factors should show up in Russia. I concluded that these effects do indeed manifest themselves in Russian science, but that, perhaps surprisingly, Russian science reveals both the strengths and the weaknesses of the social constructivist hypothesis. An example of the weakness of the social constructivist thesis can be found in the overthrow of Lysenkoism biology in 1966, when Soviet biologists embraced the same biological principles as Western biologists after decades of rejecting these principles. This tardy but eventually successful worldwide agreement illustrated the universalism of much of science when open debate is permitted, and the existence of an objective biological world studied by biologists everywhere. The rejection of Lysenkoism showed that reality in nature does matter

Footnote

Vgl. auch die Erwiderungen dazu von M. Harris: Contexts of justification und M.B. Ruskai: Response to Graham: the quantum view in: Mathematical intelligencer 23(2001) no.1 sowie weitere Beiträge von J. Cronin u. M. Lipschütz-Yevick in 23(2001) H.4

Field

Mathematik

Similar documents (author)

1. Graham, P.S.: Quality in cataloging : making decisions (1990) 5.38

   5.3815155 = sum of:
     5.3815155 = weight(author_txt:graham in 472) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
       5.3815155 = fieldWeight in 472, product of:
         1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
           1.0 = termFreq=1.0
         8.610425 = idf(docFreq=21, maxDocs=44421)
         0.625 = fieldNorm(doc=472)
   

2. Graham, C.: Definition and scope of multiple versions (1990) 5.38

   5.3815155 = sum of:
     5.3815155 = weight(author_txt:graham in 519) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
       5.3815155 = fieldWeight in 519, product of:
         1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
           1.0 = termFreq=1.0
         8.610425 = idf(docFreq=21, maxDocs=44421)
         0.625 = fieldNorm(doc=519)
   

3. Graham, P.S.: Technology and the online catalog (1983) 5.38

   5.3815155 = sum of:
     5.3815155 = weight(author_txt:graham in 984) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
       5.3815155 = fieldWeight in 984, product of:
         1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
           1.0 = termFreq=1.0
         8.610425 = idf(docFreq=21, maxDocs=44421)
         0.625 = fieldNorm(doc=984)
   

4. Graham, P.S.: ¬The mid-decade catalog (1994) 5.38

   5.3815155 = sum of:
     5.3815155 = weight(author_txt:graham in 123) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
       5.3815155 = fieldWeight in 123, product of:
         1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
           1.0 = termFreq=1.0
         8.610425 = idf(docFreq=21, maxDocs=44421)
         0.625 = fieldNorm(doc=123)
   

5. Graham, T.: ¬The free language approach to online catalogues : the user (1985) 5.38

   5.3815155 = sum of:
     5.3815155 = weight(author_txt:graham in 1283) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
       5.3815155 = fieldWeight in 1283, product of:
         1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
           1.0 = termFreq=1.0
         8.610425 = idf(docFreq=21, maxDocs=44421)
         0.625 = fieldNorm(doc=1283)
   

Similar documents (content)

1. Liu, X.; Kaza, S.; Zhang, P.; Chen, H.: Determining inventor status and its effect on knowledge diffusion : a study on nanotechnology literature from China, Russia, and India (2011) 0.14

   0.13941854 = sum of:
     0.13941854 = product of:
       0.49792337 = sum of:
         0.037750408 = weight(abstract_txt:effects in 468) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.037750408 = score(doc=468,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.10877122 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.2050046 = boost
               5.5529995 = idf(docFreq=467, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.34706247 = fieldWeight in 468, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               5.5529995 = idf(docFreq=467, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=468)
         0.01813669 = weight(abstract_txt:article in 468) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.01813669 = score(doc=468,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.07637807 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.2366923 = boost
               3.79935 = idf(docFreq=2702, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.23745938 = fieldWeight in 468, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               3.79935 = idf(docFreq=2702, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=468)
         0.107579805 = weight(abstract_txt:russian in 468) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.107579805 = score(doc=468,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.2186352 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.7084086 = boost
               7.872826 = idf(docFreq=45, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.49205163 = fieldWeight in 468, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               7.872826 = idf(docFreq=45, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=468)
         0.017677676 = weight(abstract_txt:that in 468) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.017677676 = score(doc=468,freq=3.0), product of:
             0.06905026 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.7961738 = boost
               2.3649352 = idf(docFreq=11344, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.25601172 = fieldWeight in 468, product of:
               1.7320508 = tf(freq=3.0), with freq of:
                 3.0 = termFreq=3.0
               2.3649352 = idf(docFreq=11344, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=468)
         0.19905707 = weight(abstract_txt:russia in 468) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.19905707 = score(doc=468,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.37720874 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.7483258 = boost
               8.443371 = idf(docFreq=25, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.5277107 = fieldWeight in 468, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               8.443371 = idf(docFreq=25, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=468)
         0.04405416 = weight(abstract_txt:science in 468) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.04405416 = score(doc=468,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.18305442 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.9245284 = boost
               3.850585 = idf(docFreq=2567, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.24066156 = fieldWeight in 468, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               3.850585 = idf(docFreq=2567, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=468)
         0.07366759 = weight(abstract_txt:social in 468) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.07366759 = score(doc=468,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.28042802 = queryWeight, product of:
               4.10439 = boost
               4.2031517 = idf(docFreq=1804, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.26269698 = fieldWeight in 468, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               4.2031517 = idf(docFreq=1804, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=468)
       0.28 = coord(7/25)
   

2. Kirchik, O.; Gingras, Y.; Larivière, V.: Changes in publication languages and citation practices and their effect on the scientific impact of Russian science (1993-2010) (2012) 0.12

   0.12356957 = sum of:
     0.12356957 = product of:
       0.5148732 = sum of:
         0.05338714 = weight(abstract_txt:effects in 1284) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.05338714 = score(doc=1284,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.10877122 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.2050046 = boost
               5.5529995 = idf(docFreq=467, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.49082044 = fieldWeight in 1284, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               5.5529995 = idf(docFreq=467, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1284)
         0.01813669 = weight(abstract_txt:article in 1284) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.01813669 = score(doc=1284,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.07637807 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.2366923 = boost
               3.79935 = idf(docFreq=2702, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.23745938 = fieldWeight in 1284, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               3.79935 = idf(docFreq=2702, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1284)
         0.107579805 = weight(abstract_txt:russian in 1284) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.107579805 = score(doc=1284,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.2186352 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.7084086 = boost
               7.872826 = idf(docFreq=45, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.49205163 = fieldWeight in 1284, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               7.872826 = idf(docFreq=45, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1284)
         0.010206211 = weight(abstract_txt:that in 1284) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.010206211 = score(doc=1284,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.06905026 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.7961738 = boost
               2.3649352 = idf(docFreq=11344, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.14780845 = fieldWeight in 1284, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               2.3649352 = idf(docFreq=11344, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1284)
         0.28150922 = weight(abstract_txt:russia in 1284) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.28150922 = score(doc=1284,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.37720874 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.7483258 = boost
               8.443371 = idf(docFreq=25, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.7462956 = fieldWeight in 1284, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               8.443371 = idf(docFreq=25, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1284)
         0.04405416 = weight(abstract_txt:science in 1284) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.04405416 = score(doc=1284,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.18305442 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.9245284 = boost
               3.850585 = idf(docFreq=2567, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.24066156 = fieldWeight in 1284, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               3.850585 = idf(docFreq=2567, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1284)
       0.24 = coord(6/25)
   

3. Ibekwe-SanJuan, F.: ¬The French conception of information science : "une exception française"? (2012) 0.11

   0.11451453 = sum of:
     0.11451453 = product of:
       0.47714388 = sum of:
         0.047250815 = weight(abstract_txt:display in 1380) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.047250815 = score(doc=1380,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.1263298 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.2986275 = boost
               5.98444 = idf(docFreq=303, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.3740275 = fieldWeight in 1380, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               5.98444 = idf(docFreq=303, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1380)
         0.056439064 = weight(abstract_txt:mathematical in 1380) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.056439064 = score(doc=1380,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.14221741 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.3778695 = boost
               6.3496094 = idf(docFreq=210, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.3968506 = fieldWeight in 1380, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               6.3496094 = idf(docFreq=210, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1380)
         0.017677676 = weight(abstract_txt:that in 1380) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.017677676 = score(doc=1380,freq=3.0), product of:
             0.06905026 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.7961738 = boost
               2.3649352 = idf(docFreq=11344, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.25601172 = fieldWeight in 1380, product of:
               1.7320508 = tf(freq=3.0), with freq of:
                 3.0 = termFreq=3.0
               2.3649352 = idf(docFreq=11344, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1380)
         0.1655524 = weight(abstract_txt:constructivist in 1380) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.1655524 = score(doc=1380,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.3335956 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.5845652 = boost
               7.9402676 = idf(docFreq=42, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.49626672 = fieldWeight in 1380, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               7.9402676 = idf(docFreq=42, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1380)
         0.116556354 = weight(abstract_txt:science in 1380) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.116556354 = score(doc=1380,freq=7.0), product of:
             0.18305442 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.9245284 = boost
               3.850585 = idf(docFreq=2567, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.6367306 = fieldWeight in 1380, product of:
               2.6457512 = tf(freq=7.0), with freq of:
                 7.0 = termFreq=7.0
               3.850585 = idf(docFreq=2567, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1380)
         0.07366759 = weight(abstract_txt:social in 1380) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.07366759 = score(doc=1380,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.28042802 = queryWeight, product of:
               4.10439 = boost
               4.2031517 = idf(docFreq=1804, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.26269698 = fieldWeight in 1380, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               4.2031517 = idf(docFreq=1804, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1380)
       0.24 = coord(6/25)
   

4. Shraiberg, Y.L.: Project 'Russian OCLC' : global information infrastructure (1995) 0.11

   0.11288957 = sum of:
     0.11288957 = product of:
       0.9407465 = sum of:
         0.17415427 = weight(abstract_txt:western in 4782) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.17415427 = score(doc=4782,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.16364233 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.4780173 = boost
               6.8111186 = idf(docFreq=132, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             1.0642372 = fieldWeight in 4782, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               6.8111186 = idf(docFreq=132, maxDocs=44421)
               0.15625 = fieldNorm(doc=4782)
         0.26894954 = weight(abstract_txt:russian in 4782) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.26894954 = score(doc=4782,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.2186352 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.7084086 = boost
               7.872826 = idf(docFreq=45, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             1.2301291 = fieldWeight in 4782, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               7.872826 = idf(docFreq=45, maxDocs=44421)
               0.15625 = fieldNorm(doc=4782)
         0.4976427 = weight(abstract_txt:russia in 4782) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.4976427 = score(doc=4782,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.37720874 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.7483258 = boost
               8.443371 = idf(docFreq=25, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             1.3192767 = fieldWeight in 4782, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               8.443371 = idf(docFreq=25, maxDocs=44421)
               0.15625 = fieldNorm(doc=4782)
       0.12 = coord(3/25)
   

5. García, J.A.; Rodriguez-Sánchez, R.; Fdez-Valdivia, J.: Social impact of scholarly articles in a citation network (2015) 0.11

   0.11083913 = sum of:
     0.11083913 = product of:
       0.55419564 = sum of:
         0.02564915 = weight(abstract_txt:article in 2621) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.02564915 = score(doc=2621,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.07637807 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.2366923 = boost
               3.79935 = idf(docFreq=2702, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.33581826 = fieldWeight in 2621, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               3.79935 = idf(docFreq=2702, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2621)
         0.07981689 = weight(abstract_txt:mathematical in 2621) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.07981689 = score(doc=2621,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.14221741 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.3778695 = boost
               6.3496094 = idf(docFreq=210, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.5612315 = fieldWeight in 2621, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               6.3496094 = idf(docFreq=210, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2621)
         0.017677676 = weight(abstract_txt:that in 2621) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.017677676 = score(doc=2621,freq=3.0), product of:
             0.06905026 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.7961738 = boost
               2.3649352 = idf(docFreq=11344, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.25601172 = fieldWeight in 2621, product of:
               1.7320508 = tf(freq=3.0), with freq of:
                 3.0 = termFreq=3.0
               2.3649352 = idf(docFreq=11344, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2621)
         0.26632622 = weight(abstract_txt:equations in 2621) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.26632622 = score(doc=2621,freq=3.0), product of:
             0.27741832 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.9244173 = boost
               8.868255 = idf(docFreq=16, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.9600167 = fieldWeight in 2621, product of:
               1.7320508 = tf(freq=3.0), with freq of:
                 3.0 = termFreq=3.0
               8.868255 = idf(docFreq=16, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2621)
         0.16472575 = weight(abstract_txt:social in 2621) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.16472575 = score(doc=2621,freq=5.0), product of:
             0.28042802 = queryWeight, product of:
               4.10439 = boost
               4.2031517 = idf(docFreq=1804, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016255401 = queryNorm
             0.5874083 = fieldWeight in 2621, product of:
               2.236068 = tf(freq=5.0), with freq of:
                 5.0 = termFreq=5.0
               4.2031517 = idf(docFreq=1804, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2621)
       0.2 = coord(5/25)