The dawn of mathematical biology

TL;DR

This paper explores the origins of mathematical biology and biophysics, highlighting Nicolas Rashevsky's pioneering work in the 1920s and its influence on neural network models and scientific legitimacy.

Contribution

It provides a historical analysis of Rashevsky's early ideas and the role of the journal in establishing mathematical biology as a scientific discipline.

Findings

Rashevsky's work laid foundational concepts for neural network models.

The journal 'The Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics' was crucial for legitimizing the field.

Rashevsky's contributions are underrecognized but vital to scientific development.

Abstract

In this paper I describe the early development of the so-called mathematical biophysics, as conceived by Nicolas Rashevsky back in the 1920's, as well as his latter idealization of a "relational biology". I also underline that the creation of the journal "The Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics" was instrumental in legitimating the efforts of Rashevsky and his students, and I finally argue that his pioneering efforts, while still largely unacknowledged, were vital for the development of important scientific contributions, most notably the McCulloch-Pitts model of neural networks.