A mathematician's view of the unreasonable ineffectiveness of mathematics in biology

TL;DR

This paper explores the paradoxical idea that mathematics is surprisingly ineffective in biology, contrasting it with its remarkable success in physics, from a mathematician's philosophical perspective.

Contribution

It offers a philosophical analysis of the reasons behind mathematics' limited effectiveness in biological sciences, inspired by Gelfand's thesis.

Findings

Highlights the contrast between mathematics' success in physics and its limited role in biology.

Provides a philosophical discussion on the nature of biological complexity.

Suggests potential directions for improving mathematical approaches in biology.

Abstract

This paper discusses, from a mathematician's point of view, the thesis formulated by Israel Gelfand, one of the greatest mathematicians of the 20th century, and one of the pioneers of mathematical biology: "There is only one thing which is more unreasonable than the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in physics, and this is the unreasonable ineffectiveness of mathematics in biology."