William S. Hatcher (1935-2005)

Vital statistics. Born 20 September 1935 in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Died 27 November 2005, at Stratford, Ontario, Canada. Married on 6 June 1959 to Judith Bernstein, for 46 years. Three children: Sharon Nur (born on 6 March 1962 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland), family physician and professor of family medicine; Carmel Lynne (born on 22 October 1964 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland), child and family therapist; and Benjamin Faizi (born on 31 March 1968 in Toledo, Ohio, United States), professional dancer, choreographer and teacher. Seven grandchildren.

Citzenship. Canadian by naturalization and American by birth.

Post-secondary education. Docteur ès sciences (mathematics), University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, 1963. Supervised by professor Jean-Blaise Grize. Subject: A study, based on an original theoretical framework, of the structure of formal logical systems and of their equivalence. M.A.T. (Master’s), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A, 1958. B.A. cum laude, Vanderbilt University, 1957.

Professional positions held. Chair, Department of Ethics, Landegg International University, Switzerland, 1997-2003. Invited researcher, Steklov Mathematical Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia, 1995-1997. Professeur titulaire, Department of mathematics and statistics, Laval University, Quebec, Canada, 1972-1995. Invited professor, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland, 1972-73. Professeur agrégé,
Department of mathematics and statistics, Laval University, 1968-1972. Associate professor of mathematics, University of Toledo, Ohio, United States, 1965-1968. Instructor, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, 1964-1965.

Research. Majority of mathematical research was in mathematical logic. Also did work in algebra and in computer science. In logic, main interest was model theory (preservation theory, and also model theory related to nonstandard analysis), the lambda calculus, and foundations of mathematics. Primary algebraic interests were universal algebra and category theory. In computer science, his contributions were to artificial intelligence, data structures, and programming theory. Had strong interest in philosophy, and increasingly devoted research efforts to that field. Main concerns in philosophy were 1) philosophical interpenetration of science and religion and 2) ethics. Particularly concerned with development of system of universal and transcultural ethics. Published books, monographs, and articles in each of these various fields.

Teaching. University professor for forty continuous years. In mathematics at
undergraduate level, taught courses in differential and integral calculus, differential equations, real analysis, algebra (linear algebra, group theory, commutative algebra), number theory, mathematical logic, foundations of mathematics, combinatorics, discrete mathematics, and elementary probability theory. On graduate level, taught courses in functional analysis, topological vector spaces, algebra (category theory, universal algebra, field theory), and mathematical logic (model theory, recursive function theory, proof theory, axiomatic set theory). In philosophy, taught courses in ethics at both undergraduate and graduate levels and course in philosophy of science and religion at graduate level.

Supervision of theses. Successfully supervised graduate students’ research for two doctoral and two masters’ theses on model theory as well as graduate students’ research for one doctoral thesis on the lambda-calculus and its models and one master’s thesis on artificial intelligence (automatic theorem-proving).

Research grants, scholarships and honors. Honorable mention in Westinghouse Science Talent Search, 1953. DuPont Fellow, 1957-58. Scholarship recipient from Swiss National Fund for Scientific Research, 1962-1964. Recipient of research grant from I.B.M. Company, 1973-1974. Recipient of successive grants from F.C.A.R. granting agency in Quebec Province. Recipient of continuous support from National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, 1968-1990. Invited professor at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, 1972-1973. Election in 1978 for three-year term as member of Council of Association for Symbolic Logic. Listed as one of eight Platonist philosophers of second half of twentieth century in Encyclopédie Philosophique Universelle (Presses Universitaires de France,1992).

Other professional activities. Author for several reviewing agencies in mathematical sciences and in philosophy. Referee and reviewer for many scientific and philosophical journals. Invited speaker for numerous scientific talks at universities in Europe, the United States, Russia, and Canada. Frequent participant at scientific meetings and congresses in many different parts of the world.

Administrative experience. Interim head of mathematics department at Laval University (one year). Evaluator of new graduate programs in mathematics for Quebec (Province) Ministry of Education. President (two years) and member (one year) of mathematics grant committee of F.C.A.R granting agency in Quebec Province. Member for three-year term of Council of Association for Symbolic Logic. Chair of Department of Ethics at Landegg International University. Election as member of the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá’ís of Switzerland, of Canada, and of Russia for total of thirteen years of service.

Languages. Spoke, read and wrote fluently in both English and French, and spoke and read some Russian.

Extra-professional interests and activities. Chess, swimming, bicycling and cross-country skiing. Community service and development of the Bahá’í Community.