From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: * X-Spam-Status: No, score=1.8 required=5.0 tests=DATE_IN_PAST_03_06, LOCALPART_IN_SUBJECT,MIME_QP_LONG_LINE,RCVD_IN_MSPIKE_H2 autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Received: (qmail 32425 invoked from network); 26 Jan 2023 19:52:58 -0000 Received: from smtp2.mta.ca (198.164.44.75) by inbox.vuxu.org with ESMTPUTF8; 26 Jan 2023 19:52:58 -0000 Received: from rr.mta.ca ([198.164.44.159]:40120) by smtp2.mta.ca with esmtp (Exim 4.80) (envelope-from ) id 1pL8Im-0005Hf-0n; Thu, 26 Jan 2023 15:52:52 -0400 Received: from majordomo by rr.mta.ca with local (Exim 4.92.1) (envelope-from ) id 1pL8Hl-0005Eg-Eb for categories-list@rr.mta.ca; Thu, 26 Jan 2023 15:51:49 -0400 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable From: Steve Awodey MIME-Version: 1.0 (1.0) Subject: categories: Bill Lawvere Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2023 08:58:11 -0500 To: categories net Precedence: bulk Reply-To: Steve Awodey Message-Id: =EF=BB=BFDear Colleagues, It=E2=80=99s very sad to hear about Bill Lawvere=E2=80=99s passing. I haven=E2= =80=99t seen him since a meeting at Colgate several years ago,=20 where he came with his son, who I believe is a math teacher. Bill was of course a great mathematician who changed the way we think about l= ogic and the foundations of mathematics, but he was also a kind and generous= person.=20 When I was a student of Saunders at Chicago, Bill often visited for the week= end and lectured, discussed ideas with me, and encouraged me. I suppose he w= as there to talk to Ieke, who visited often then,=20 because he and Saunders were working on the book. But Bill was always happy= to patiently explain things to me and to suggest things for me to work on. When he later came to CMU for a seminar, I told him he would have a bit more= time than a usual lecture, up to 2 hours. The room had large blackboards on 3 walls, and he used all 3 of them, moving= desks out of the way and telling the audience to turn their chairs. After 3= hours I had to cut him off - he had only heard the part about having more t= ime! I am very grateful for the patience and generosity that Bill showed me as a s= tudent,=20 and for his mathematical ideas which have fascinated and motivated me ever s= ince then. I also recall that Saunders had the very highest opinion of Bill. Best wishes, Steve [For admin and other information see: http://www.mta.ca/~cat-dist/ ]