Klein and Bieberbach: mathematics, race, and biology (Q1106828)

The paper describes how even eminent mathematicians have been led to false generalisations about the nature of mathematics and its relationship with the external reality because of their social environment and their one sided view of mathematics. Thus Klein considers the use of intuitive notion of space in mathematics as a characteristic of the Teutonic race. Poincaré also thinks that logical rigour and analysis is characteristic of the French system of education while the English (like the physicist Maxwell) argue only intuitively. This division of characteristics between the Latin and Teutonic races was carried to the extreme by Bieberbach during the Nazi regime in Germany. As a further example of the social environment one could consider the dispute between Lysenko and Kolmogoroff about the applicability of statistical methods to biology, the former denying its validity and relevance (particularly with Mendel's law) for biology. While Lysenko's views were upheld during the Khrushchev's rule, the case was decided in favour of Kolmogoroff when Khrushchev lost power.