98-483 David RUELLE

CONVERSATIONS ON MATHEMATICS WITH A VISITOR FROM OUTER SPACE. (24K, LaTeX 2e) Jul 2, 98

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Abstract. While it is probably unrewarding to try to imagine what extraterrestrial mathematics might be like, we may more reasonably try to find out what is peculiar about human mathematics. An investigation of that sort was started by J. v. Neumann in his book {\it The computer and the brain}. We shall discuss some of the characteristics, and especially deficiencies, of the human brain as revealed by the neurosciences and comparison with the computer. We shall argue that they explain features of human mathematics that we take for granted, but that a mathematical visitor from outer space might find very striking.

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