Hao Wang. Logician and Philosopher

Hao Wang (1921-1995) was a prolific researcher andwriter in mathematical logic, computer science, andphilosophy. He is known for the close relation hedeveloped with Kurt G├╢del during the last decade of thelatter''s life and the two books about G├╢del that hepublished after G├╢del''s death. This volume of essayscovers to some extent each of these fields of Wang''sactivity but with greatest emphasis on philosophy.Wang spent the first twenty-five years of his life in Chinaand continued to identify himself as Chinese, and in lateryears he returned to China several times. The volumeadds to the picture of the Chinese side of Wang and hisengagement with the intellectual life of his own countryduring a turbulent period. Wang''s writings in Chineseare surveyed, and two translations are included of shortessays on two Chinese scholars, his teacher Jin Yuelinand his friend from student days He Zhaowu, as well asa short memoir of Wang by He, written shortly afterWang''s death.Another writing of Wang published for the first time isan edition with introduction of an exposition by Wang ofG├╢del''s views on sets and concepts. Essays on Wangand his work include a memoir of collaboration with himon G├╢del''s philosophy by Eckehart K├╢hler, an account oftwo classic contributions to computer science and logicby Martin Davis, and essays by Abner Shimony on hisdistinctive view of the nature and method of philosophyand by Juliet Floyd on his reflections on the philosophyof Wittgenstein, who fascinated Wang partly because ofthe contrast between his views and G├╢del''s.