Andrej N. Kolmogorov's in front of the affaire Lysenko: an episode in mathematics and ideology in the 20th century

TL;DR

This paper explores Kolmogorov's 1940 mathematical work on genetics within the political and ideological context of the Soviet Union, highlighting the interplay between mathematics, science, and ideology during that era.

Contribution

It analyzes Kolmogorov's role in the ideological debates on Mendelism and genetics in the Soviet Union, linking mathematical perspectives to political influences.

Findings

Kolmogorov's work was influenced by and responded to ideological pressures.

The paper highlights the intersection of mathematics, science, and ideology in 20th-century Soviet Union.

It provides historical insight into the scientific debates of the era.

Abstract

In this paper the context of the 1940 mathematical paper by Kolmogorov on Mendel's laws of genetics is considered, also thanks to a recent study by Stark and Seneta (2011). Kolmogorov's vision of the relationship between mathematics and science in the understanding of the natural world appears to have encouraged him in tacking part in the discussions around Mendelism in while Lysenko's position against it was becoming the only permissible for Soviet Union biologists.