Henri Poincare Scientific Opportunism L'Opportunisme Scientifique An Anthology

During his lifetime, Henri Poincarè published three major philosophical books which achieved great success: "La science et l'hypothése" (1902), "La valeur de la science" (1905) and "Science et mèthode" (1908). After his death in 1913, a fourth volume of his philosophical works was published by his heirs as "Derniéres pensèes" (1913). The four books constitute the core of Poincarè's philosophic works and were given an ovation by scientific and general public. Around 1919, Gustave Le Bon wrote to Poincarè's widow. As the director of the "Bibliothéque de Philosophie Scientifique at Flammarion", he asked her permission to publish a second posthumous volume. "L'Opportunisme scientifique" was intended to be the fifth and final volume of Poincarè's philosophical writings. Louis Rougier had elaborated the project, with the collaboration of Gustave Le Bon, and the approval of the philosopher Emile Boutroux and his son Pierre. Because of the reservations of the mathematician's heirs, this book was never published and Derniéres pensèes remained his last philosophical book. Nevertheless Poincarè's correspondence - which is kept in the Poincarè Archives at University Nancy 2 - contains a large amount of documents concerning the project, its justification and the discussions between Louis Rougier and the mathematician's heirs. The aim of this book is to restore this episode, which gives some crucial informations about editorial practices of Poincarè and about the posterity of his philosophic thinking.Poincaré, Henri is the author of 'Henri Poincare Scientific Opportunism L'Opportunisme Scientifique An Anthology' with ISBN 9783764365394 and ISBN 3764365390.