Elliott Mendelson (May 24, 1931 – May 7, 2020) was an American logician. He was a professor of mathematics at Queens College of the City University of New York, and the

Graduate Center, CUNY The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York (CUNY Graduate Center) is a public research institution and post-graduate university in New York City. Serving as the principal doctorate-granting institution of the ...

. He was Jr. Fellow,

Society of Fellows The Society of Fellows is a group of scholars selected at the beginnings of their careers by Harvard University for their potential to advance academic wisdom, upon whom are bestowed distinctive opportunities to foster their individual and intell ...

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

, 1956–58.

Career

Mendelson earned his BA from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

and PhD from

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...

. Mendelson taught mathematics at the college level for more than 30 years, and is the author of books on

logic Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the science of deductively valid inferences or of logical truths. It is a formal science investigating how conclusions follow from premise ...

philosophy of mathematics The philosophy of mathematics is the branch of philosophy that studies the assumptions, foundations, and implications of mathematics. It aims to understand the nature and methods of mathematics, and find out the place of mathematics in peop ...

calculus Calculus, originally called infinitesimal calculus or "the calculus of infinitesimals", is the mathematical study of continuous change, in the same way that geometry is the study of shape, and algebra is the study of generalizations of arithm ...

, game theory and

mathematical analysis Analysis is the branch of mathematics dealing with continuous functions, limit (mathematics), limits, and related theories, such as Derivative, differentiation, Integral, integration, measure (mathematics), measure, infinite sequences, series (m ...

. His ''Introduction to Mathematical Logic'', first published in 1964, was reviewed by Dirk van Dalen who noted that it included "a large variety of subjects that should be part of the education of any mathematics student with an interest in foundational matters." Dirk van Dalen (1969
Review: Introduction to Mathematical Logic

Journal of Symbolic Logic The '' Journal of Symbolic Logic'' is a peer-reviewed mathematics journal published quarterly by Association for Symbolic Logic. It was established in 1936 and covers mathematical logic. The journal is indexed by ''Mathematical Reviews'', Zentralb ...

34(1): 110,1 via JSTOR

Books

Sole author

* * * * * * *

Co-author

* * * *

Editor

Journal articles

*P. C. Gilmore, Donald A. Martin & Elliott Mendelson (1975). ''Meeting of the Association for Symbolic Logic''. ''

'' 40 (2):299-304. * Hugues Leblanc, Elliott Mendelson & Alex Orenstein (1984). Preface. ''

Synthese ''Synthese'' () is a scholarly periodical specializing in papers in epistemology, methodology, and philosophy of science, and related issues. Its subject area is divided into four specialties, with a focus on the first three: (1) "epistemology, me ...

'' 60 (1). *Elliott Mendelson (2005). Book Review: Igor Lavrov, Larisa Maksimova, ''Problems in Set Theory, Mathematical Logic and the Theory of Algorithms'', Edited by Giovanna Corsi, Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers, 2003, Us$141.00, Pp. XII + 282, , Hardbound. ''

Studia Logica ''Studia Logica'' (full name: Studia Logica, An International Journal for Symbolic Logic), is a scienific journal publishing papers employing formal tools from Mathematics and Logic. The scope of papers published in Studia Logica covers all scient ...

'' 79 (3). *Elliott Mendelson (2000). Critical Studies/Book Reviews. '' Philosophia Mathematica'' 8 (3). *Elliott Mendelson (2007).

Graham Oppy Graham Robert Oppy (born 1960) is an Australian philosopher whose main area of research is the philosophy of religion. He currently holds the posts of Professor of Philosophy and Associate Dean of Research at Monash University and serves as CE ...

. ''Philosophical Perspectives on Infinity''. ''Philosophia Mathematica'' 15 (3). *Elliott Mendelson (1956) "Some Proofs of Independence in Axiomatic Set Theory", ''Journal of Symbolic Logic'' 21(3): 291–303. *Elliott Mendelson (1990) "Second Thoughts About Church's Thesis and Mathematical Proofs", '' Journal of Philosophy'' 87(5): 225–233. *Elliott Mendelson (1956) "The Independence of a Weak Axiom of Choice", ''Journal of Symbolic Logic'' 21(4): 350–366. *

Sidney Morgenbesser Sidney Morgenbesser (September 22, 1921 – August 1, 2004) was a Jewish American philosopher and professor at Columbia University. He wrote little but is remembered by many for his philosophical witticisms. Life and career Sidney Morgenbesser ...

& Elliott Mendelson (1966) "Annual Meeting of the Association for Symbolic Logic", ''Journal of Symbolic Logic'' 31(4):682-696.

Notes

American logicians Philosophers of mathematics 20th-century American philosophers Queens College, City University of New York faculty 2020 deaths 1931 births {{US-philosopher-stub Columbia College (New York) alumni Cornell University alumni