Re: [HM] Sophie Germain & Carl Boyer
Randy K. Schwartz (rschwart@schoolcraft.cc.mi.us)
Sun, 8 Nov 1998 05:20:06 -0500
Thank you, David Fowler and Karen Dee Michalowicz for the comments
about the inadequate coverage of women in mathematics in Boyer's
history. I gather that this is in fact becoming a "blind spot well
known", to use David's phrase. For example, in late January and early
February 1997, on the math-history-list sponsored by the MAA in the
United States, there was an exchange of opinion about Boyer's work, and
I do recall Boyer's relative inattention to women mathematicians as
having been one of the aspects which was subjected to criticism in that
exchange. (One of the best overall assessments in this exchange was that
by Judith Grabiner, subject line "On Carl Boyer and his scholarship",
dated 7 Feb 1997).
It is good to hear that Karen has been researching the work of
Florence Nightingale, which has been neglected. In my statistics class,
I always encourage my students to investigate Nightingale's
contributions.
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Prof. Randy K. Schwartz
Department of Mathematics
Liberal Arts Building
Schoolcraft College
18600 Haggerty Road
Livonia, MI 48152-2696 USA
email rschwart@schoolcraft.cc.mi.us
voice 734/462-4400 extn. 5290
fax 734/462-4558
"In the Inn of the world there is room for
_everyone_. To turn your back on even one
person, for whatever reason, is to run
the risk of losing the central piece of
your jigsaw puzzle." - Leo F. Buscaglia
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