When Mathematics meets the Humanities

"Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things," with this quote from Henri Poincaré, French researcher Catherine Goldstein opened her lecture "Long-term history and ephemeral configurations" during the fifth day of the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM 2018).

Director of Research at the Jussieu Institute of Mathematics (CNRS) in Paris, mathematician Catherine Goldstein is also a historian. Due to her expertise in both disciplines, she is considered one of the most influential figures in her field in France.

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Goldstein emphasized throughout the lecture that mathematics should not be understood solely as theorems; it can integrate diverse social aspects (industrial needs, philosophical worldviews, etc.). "Mathematics cannot be encapsulated; it must connect with other areas," he concluded.