2 Feb '07, version 1.04.

MATH   is   TRUTH;
WAR   is based on   LIES.

Thus, mathematicians have a special duty to oppose war.

International  Mathematicians  for  Peace

"Why international?"  Well, it's true that the USA is the world's biggest economy, the biggest military, and the biggest supplier of weapons. But it is small compared to the combined effect of the next few nations after it. Thus, the international community is capable of influencing the American juggernaut. And, of course, war is an international matter.

"But mathematics is above all of that."  Mathematicians often see their work as the discovery of a perfect and eternal truth that is above all the ambiguities and emotions of human interaction. They take pride in its cold, clear, crystalline reasoning. But who is mathematics for? We mathematicians are human beings with families and communities; we betray them if we do not concern ourselves with their future.

"But we haven't been trained for politics."  That attitude is shared by nonmathematicians too -- "Leave politics to the politicians; it's not my job; I'm not trained for that and I'm busy with other work." Well, look what an atrocious job the politicians have done when the rest of us haven't gotten involved. Campaigning for peace is not our area of expertise, but it's time we started training ourselves. And, at any rate, no special expertise is needed to understand that war is a truly terrible thing, and that we should not participate in war without an absolutely clear, indisputable, and compelling reason.

"Why mathematicians in particular?"  Really, people from every walk of life need to participate -- carpenters for peace, postal workers for peace, and so on. And ultimately we all need to work together. But we may also have special perspectives to offer. And, at any rate, by banding together in our workplaces we form a community that otherwise cannot find its way. This web page, written by a mathematician, attempts to recruit mathematicians.

"What kinds of lies?"  Some governments may believe they have good reasons for wars, but they do not trust their own people to agree, and so they lie. And the news media, increasingly owned by a few wealthy people with vested interests in the war machine, report the news with subtle bias: They frame it in language that forces the desired conclusions, and they omit news items that cannot be spun in the desired direction. And in countries where truth is less protected, the news media lie outright. How easily we all fall into the consensus trance! Unlike mathematicians, most people do not test everything they hear for fallacies and omissions -- and even mathematicians apply this rigor only to their mathematics.

Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country. -- Hermann Goering, Reichsmarschall of Nazi Germany
War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives. ... A few profit, and the many pay. -- Smedley D. Butler, USMC Major General, two-time congressional medal of honor recipient

(And war is not the only topic for lies. The general public may not understand, but scientists and engineers know that there is nothing subjective or inconclusive about global warming. They should be enraged about the lies about science.)

"So you're advocating that we support some particular political party?"  No, not really. It's true that one political party has dirtied its hands most conspicuously in recent years; but every party, when it has been in power, has lied its way into some war. The real problems are the way that many politicians gain power by pointing at an enemy, and the way that war profiteers assist the finances of many politicians. Somehow we have to stop that.

"What should we mathematicians do?"  I don't know, I'm just starting to figure it out and get this organized. That's why this web page has a version number at the top. Contact me to agree or to disagree with this document, or to suggest additions or alterations to it.

Voting is not enough. But just making our voices heard is a major part of what we need to do. Here are a few ideas: Post a copy of this document on your office door. Email it to colleagues who you think may be sympathetic. At the next peace vigil or rally in your town, carry the URL of this web page on a sign. Become better informed about politics -- look on the internet or in the library. Join some other organizations.

Shouldn't we be as serious about making peace as some people are about making war?