Steven, list,
"during the semicentennial celebration of its founding in 1888 as the
New York Mathematical Society"
That says that the founding itself was in 1888. The syntax would be
crossed up if "in 1888" referred to the speech and celebration while "as
the New York Mathematical Society" referred to the founding. Still,
there's a moment of ambiguity when the reader first reaches "in 1888," a
moment of ambiguity that could easily be missed by the sentence's writer
precisely because of her (presumable) awareness that the founding was in
1888 and the celebration in 1938.
By the way, _The New Elements of Mathematics_ and _Historical
Perspectives on Peirce's Logic of Science_, both Peirce collections
edited by Eisele, are back in print, at high prices.
New Elements of Mathematics:
http://www.degruyter.com/view/serial/16677
Historical Perspectives on Peirce's Logic of Science**:
http://www.degruyter.com/view/product/45174?format=KOM
Best, Ben
On 10/18/2014 11:56 PM, Steven Ericsson-Zenith wrote:
In the "Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography | 2008" there is a
biography of Benjamin Peirce, written by Carolyn Eisele that begins:
"In an address before the American Mathematical Society during the
semicentennial celebration of its founding in 1888 as the New York
Mathematical Society, G. D. Birkhoff spoke of Benjamin Peirce as
having been “by far the most influential scientific personage in
America” and “a kind of father of pure mathematics in our country.”"
A copy of which can be found here:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Benjamin_Peirce.aspx
However, G.D. Birkhoff, in many respect's Benjamin Peirce's heir as
leading American mathematician, was born only in 1884. This would make
him only 4 years old at the time and so it seems likely that there is
an error in this account. I suggest that Eisele is confused and means
in fact G.D. Birkhoff made this statement in September 1938, the
actual semicentennial celebration of the AMS.
Any thoughts or comments welcome.
Regards,
Steven
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