Our magazine took an interest in this deeply learned and immensely wise man's forays into mathematics; his "Making Sense of the News" columns sometimes offered just such an opportunity (see Tangente 138, 2011 and 145, 2012). Our next issue will feature an article about him.
Michel Serres (1930–2019).
Michel Serres first studied for the École navale entrance examination and entered the school in 1949… only to resign shortly afterward. After this scientific training, he prepared for the École normale supérieure entrance examination and entered in 1952 to study philosophy. After passing the agrégation, he returned to the Navy for his military service and even took part in the Suez operation!
His choice of doctoral thesis topic was no less unusual: "Leibniz's System and Its Mathematical Models." In it, he discussed set theory and mathematical structures. A highly mathematical perspective, after all.
