A Letter from René Thom Published by IHÉS
Introduction:
René Thom had a philosophical ambition for the branch of mathematics in which he put forward his famous theorems. As he was awarded the Fields Medal in 1958, he could further develop his ideas on other subjects, particularly concerning biology and linguistics. He nevertheless remained faithful to the question of the nature of form: the subject of his mathematical works. As science necessitates reality and thought, it is never entirely clear whether reality is the only contributor to things that appear to us. Taking a keen interest in geometrical shapes, Thom was led to the philosophical questions of the shape of thinking.
Like everyone else, I have been surrounded by the tangle of social determination. As my parents happened to know the great mathematician, through the Protestant parish of Palaiseau, I was able to contact him concerning the first part of "Meaning and Distance". Here you can read the letter he sent me on this occasion. Even if I cannot agree with some of his remarks -perhaps because I fail to understand them- I was happy to allow the management of IHÉS (French institute for scientific research) to publish it in 2003, as part of the complete works of the scientist.
Click here to access René Thom's letter
Michel Magnen
Translated into English by Fay Guerry