This text presents the ideas of a particular group of mathematicians of the late 18th century known as “the German combinatorial school” and its influence. The book tackles several questions concerning the emergence and historical development of the German combinatorial analysis, which was the unfinished scientific research project of that group of mathematicians. The historical survey covers the three main episodes in the evolution of that research project: its theoretical antecedents (which go back to the innovative ideas on mathematical analysis of the late 17th century) and first formulation, its consolidation as a foundationalist project of mathematical analysis, and its dissolution at the beginning of the 19th century. In addition, the book analyzes the influence of the ideas of the combinatorial school on German mathematics throughout the 19th century.

This book describes the author’s view of how the mind “thinks” at various levels of operation. These levels include nonconscious mind (as in spinal/brainstem reflexes and neuroendocrine controls), subconscious mind, and conscious mind. In the attempt to explain conscious mind, there is considerable critique of arguments over whether or not free will is an illusion. Finally, the author summarizes current leading theories for consciousness (Bayesian probability, chaos, and quantum mechanics) and then presents his own theory based on patterns of nerve impulses in circuits that are interlaced coherently into larger networks.

Analytic combinatorics aims to enable precise quantitative predictions of the properties of large combinatorial structures. The theory has emerged over recent decades as essential both for the analysis of algorithms and for the study of scientific models in many disciplines, including probability theory, statistical physics, computational biology, and information theory. With a careful combination of symbolic enumeration methods and complex analysis, drawing heavily on generating functions, results of sweeping generality emerge that can be applied in particular to fundamental structures such as permutations, sequences, strings, walks, paths, trees, graphs and maps. This account is the definitive treatment of the topic. The authors give full coverage of the underlying mathematics and a thorough treatment of both classical and modern applications of the theory. The text is complemented with exercises, examples, appendices and notes to aid understanding. The book can be used for an advanced undergraduate or a graduate course, or for self-study.