Which American president is it?
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Jeffrey Shallit
Recurrent thoughts about mathematics, science, politics, music, religion, and
Recurrent thoughts about mathematics, science, politics, music, religion, and
Recurrent thoughts about mathematics, science, politics, music, religion, and
Recurrent thoughts about ....
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Jeffrey Shallit
American mathematician, professor of computer science at a major Canadian university, & skeptic.
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11 comments:
Woodrow Wilson?
TR maybe? (The Origin of Species might fit in with the strenuous life somehow.)
I can see I have to give out another hint.
Hint: his library is only a half-day's drive from me here in Waterloo, Ontario.
Well, if it's not cheating, I'll take a second guess--could it be Rutherford B. Hayes? I don't know about The Origin of Species but he had an interest in religion, and his library is in Ohio, which on the map doesn't look all that far away. First presidential library, first siamese cat in America, first president to use the exact phrase "separation of church and state" in a message to congress (he was explaining why the principle didn't apply to polygamy), only president whose election was settled by a special congressional committee, Hayes has always been kind of a favorite of mine, so that's probably why I'm thinking of him. Still, it doesn't seem absolutely impossible.
Lincoln.
Another hint: his widow built an addition to the house, just to hold the library and his papers.
Coolidge?
Garfield? His presidential library is also in Ohio, though I don't remember anything about his interests. (If I keep on guessing I've got to get it right sooner or later.)
We have a winner! It is indeed Garfield.
If you are ever in Waterloo, drop by my office to claim your prize.
As a young professor in the 1850s, Garfield was involved in a creationism/evolution debate: https://ncse.com/blog/2016/08/garfield-s-evolution-debate-0018325
After Garfield was shot, Alexander Graham Bell used a newly invented metal detector to try to locate the bullet in his body. Unsuccessfully, I assume.
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