Record Details
Knot theory : in imitation of Lewis Thomas
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Knot theory : in imitation of Lewis Thomas |
| Names |
Schmidgall, Matthew J.
(creator) Anderson, Chris (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 2014-03-11 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 2014 |
| Abstract | Knot Theory: In Imitation of Lewis Thomas is a collection of 14, 1200-word essays written in the style of Lewis Thomas, a physician who regularly contributed to The New England Journal of Medicine. His 1200-word column, "Notes of a Biology Watcher," ran from 1971 - 1980. The resulting compilations collectively received three National Book Awards, and one the compilations, The Medusa and the Snail, was the 1980 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction. His pieces were focused on topics related to science and medicine and were written in the genre of the essay. My background in mathematics and strong interest in the sciences made Thomas an ideal subject to imitate, particularly because Thomas saw science as inextricably intertwined with mystery, human limitations, and finite brains attempting to understand a universe vastly larger than themselves. Knot Theory attempts to address many of these issues in a way that honors Thomas and continues the tradition of the essayist while exploring the nature of imitation. |
| Genre | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Access Condition | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ |
| Topic | Imitation |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/46803 |
