Mathematical Psychology of War. Dedicated to my Comrades of the motor ambulance convoy known as S. S. Anglaise 13, in whose company this essay was mainly written.

RICHARDSON, Lewis F.

Published by Oxford: Wm. Hunt, 1919

About this Item

First edition, first impression, of Richardson's first and pioneering paper on the subject; presentation copy, with an autograph letter from the author loosely inserted. The letter is addressed to "Mr Bartlett" (probably Frederic Bartlett, one of the forerunners of cognitive psychology), written on the author's home stationery, and dated 20 September 1928. "You may like a copy of 'The Mathematical Psychology of War' if I have not already sent you one. If so, you can pass it on. L. F. Richardson". In a postscript, Richardson notes that this is his only published work, but soon there may be two papers by him in the Journal of General Psychiatry. In the work, the mathematician and pacifist Lewis Fry Richardson (1881-1953) developed a mathematical model for describing the change in animosity between two opposing sides during a war and "postulated that the rate of increase of the warlike activity of one nation depended on the current activity of the opposing nation" (ODNB). It was published at the author's own expense, costing him £35 for 300 copies in total. It contains Bertrand Russell's 20-line contribution, "Problem: To Produce in Two Nations a Mutual Will to War" (pp. 15-16). "Russell had been impressed with the manuscript which Stanley Unwin had forwarded him, although he thought that Richardson's subject required a more extended treatment and that he should 'eliminate dogmatic statements of his metaphysical opinions where they are irrelevant'. But, otherwise, 'Mr. Richardson's main ideas appear to me true, original, and important' (29 December 1918). Russell's 'Problem' was enclosed with this letter to Unwin with instructions that it be passed on to the author 'for his amusement'" (Rempel & Haslam, p. 405). Blackwell & Ruja B9. Richard A. Rempel & Beryl Haslam, "Appendix I", in their critical edition of Russell's Uncertain Paths to Freedom, 2000. Quarto. Roneo typescript, pp. [3], 50. Original blue cloth, printed paper label to front cover. Slight sunning to spine, contents a little toned. A very good copy.

Seller Inventory # 162531

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Mathematical Psychology of War. Dedicated to my Comrades of the motor ambulance convoy known as S. S. Anglaise 13, in whose company this essay was mainly written.
• Publisher: Oxford: Wm. Hunt, 1919
• Edition: 1st Edition