LAUTMAN, Les Schémas de Structure, 1938

First edition.
Albert Lautman (1908-1944) was a French philosopher of mathematics whose work had a considerable posthumous influence. This essay, published in the "Le Progrès de l'Esprit" collection edited by Léon Brunschvicg, is a profound exploration of the relationship between mathematics and philosophy. Lautman develops the idea that mathematical theories are not mere arbitrary creations but are based on ideal "structural schemas," linking mathematics to metaphysics. His work is a landmark in the philosophy of science of the interwar period, tragically cut short by his death in deportation.