This book is set up in a non-traditional way, yet it takes a systematic approach. There are four parts. The first part is historical and deals with the changes that have taken place in recent years in the relationship between mathematics and sociology: an analysis is made of Paul F. Lazarsfeld’s mathematical models, models of simulation and artificial societies, and models of artificial neural networks. The second part compares and contrasts mathematical models that come from physics and linguistics and those that come from sociology and economics. The third part analyzes models of artificial neural networks in detail. The final part examines the relationship between mathematics and the arts.
The book will be of interest to everyone involved in the application of mathematics to the social sciences and the use of technological innovations to improve the quality of life, and their distribution among the various creative arts.
Applications of Mathematics in Models, Artificial Neural Networks and Arts Vittorio Capecchi · Massimo Buscema · Pierluigi Contucci · Bruno D’Amore Editors Applications of Mathematics in Models, Artificial Neural Networks and Arts Mathematics and Society 13 Editors Vittorio Capecchi Universita Bologna Dipto. Scienze dell’Educazione Via Zamboni, 34 40126 Bologna Italy
[email protected] Pierluigi Contucci Universita Bologna Dipto. Matematica Piazza di Porta San Donato, 5 40126 Bologna Italy
[email protected] Massimo Buscema Semeion Centro Ricerche di Scienze della Comunicazione Via Sersale, 117 00128 Roma Italy
[email protected] Bruno D’Amore Universita Bologna Dipto. Matematica Piazza di Porta San Donato, 5 40126 Bologna Italy
[email protected] ISBN 978-90-481-8580-1 e-ISBN 978-90-481-8581-8 DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-8581-8 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2010924730 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010 No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) Preface The story of this book begins with the conference of 8–9 December 2007 entitled “Mathematics and Society” celebrating the 40 years of Quality and Quantity, International Journal of Methodology founded in 1967, under the auspices of Paul F. Lazarsfeld, by editor Vittorio Capecchi and co-editor Raymond Boudon. The journal at present is published by Springer Science & Business Media, Dordrecht. The editor is Vittorio Capecchi, the co-editors are Raymond Boudon and Massimo Buscema. It is a bimonthly publication and it is available online. In the first 10 years, Quality and Quantity, International Journal of Methodologypublished articles by authors writing from Europe and the United States, but in the last 10 years, a growing number of authors who present essays with mathematical models are living in Asia. The conference of 8–9 December was promoted