Topology Atlas Document # topc-08 | Production Editor: R. Flagg

TOPOLOGICAL COMMENTARY

Volume 1, #3, October 27, 1996

Edited by Melvin Henriksen

commentary@mail.mathatlas.yorku.ca

I continue to invite commentary on any article in any issue of TopCom or on any topic of general interest to topologists, including news about topologists or topological activity. You may do this by sending us e-mail or by posting a message on the TopCom Bulletin Board.

Article

Paul Erdos - 1913-1996
by Melvin Henriksen

Article

Note: This article is reprinted from The Mathematical Intellingencer, volume 15 (1993) with the permission of its Editor-in-chief, Chandler Davis. It was submitted in 1991, revised later in that year, and revised and improved greatly by Chandler Davis in 1992 without necessarily agreeing with its contents. I am grateful to him for helping me to express my opinions clearly and concisely. After it appeared, I got 14 personal "fan" letters. One writer liked my tweaking the nose of the establishment, but described the role of general topology to be about the same as Euclidean geometry; important, but not an area in which serious research needs to be done. The remaining ones described unfair treatments of the sort I described at the hands of editors or referees. Urging them to write their opinions to the Intelligencer of the Notices had no effect, and no public commentary, favorable or unfavorable, on "There Are Too Many B.A.D. Mathematicians" ever appeared in print (although it was translated into Czech). Re-examining it three years later makes me feel it is still worth reading. I did not anticipate, however, that the job market for younger mathematicians would become so tight in spite of the retirement of many older mathematicians. (Evidently, public support for mathematics and science depended far more than I realized on the cold war.) I am convinced by observation that mathematical bigotry has increased greatly since 1993 and shows every sign of getting worse as library budgets continue to shrink. The inevitable shift of mathematical publication to electronic media may blunt the power of those who exclude whole fields from journals without owning up to it, but that remains to be seen. What do you think? We will be only too glad to include your opinions in Topological Commentary.
There Are Too Many B.A.D. Mathematicians
by Melvin Henriksen

Report

General Topology in Mexico
A brief report from Richard Wilson as recorded by Melvin Henriksen

Article

Affirmative Action - a reprise
by Melvin Henriksen

Interview

Note: This interview of the distinguished Croatian mathematician Sibe Mardesic was carried out by his friend and co-author Prof. James Keesling of the University of Florida. Prof. Keeling has expressed willingness to prevail upon Prof. Mardesic to go into his career in greater detail if sufficient interest is expressed by our readers.
An Interview with Sibe Mardesic
by James Keesling

Column

Moore Karma Ran Over My Dogma
by Scott Williams

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