Intellectual Pursuits of Nicolas Rashevsky

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Who was Nicolas Rashevsky? This book explores Rashevsky’s life through his personal archival papers, interviews with family, students, and friends, as well as insights from biologists and mathematical biologists. It addresses the question of why most modern biologists are unaware of Rashevsky. As the first detailed biography of the theoretical physicist (1899-1972), it highlights key aspects of his scientific career and his vision for the role of mathematical biology within the broader field. The narrative reveals the tensions among mathematicians, theoretical physicists, and biologists regarding the integration of mathematical tools into biological research. Rashevsky's successes and failures in advocating for mathematical biology serve as a crucial case study for understanding the importance of theory, particularly mathematics, in comprehending the natural world. As biological sciences increasingly embrace inter- and multi-disciplinary approaches, this book will resonate with a diverse audience, including historians, sociologists, and ethnographers of American science and culture, as well as students and general readers interested in the history of life sciences, mathematical biology, and the social construction of science.