Oltre il mondo inanimato: la storia travagliata della matematizzazione dei fenomeni biologici e sociali

Israel, Giorgio

Bollettino della Unione matematica italiana, Série 8, 7B (2004) no. 2, pp. 275-304

Résumé

Ever since the second half of the $18^{th}$ century the success achieved in the mathematization of physical phenomena encouraged efforts to obtain similar results in the field of life phenomena and of socio-economic processes. Little attention has so far been devoted to the history of mathematization in these contexts. The aim of the present article is to map the principal lines of the historical development of these forms of mathematization, to describe the results obtained and the problems that remain to be solved. Some mention is made of the reasons why this history may prove of value also in a research context. It could provide a basis for reflection on the nature of the difficulties that have hindered research carried out in a much more complex context than that of physical phenomena.