A Calculus Course Writing Assignment Based On Tolstoy's Integration Metaphor In WAR AND PEACE

 

Stephen T. Ahearn, Macalester College

 

In WAR AND PEACE, Tolstoy uses integral calculus as a metaphor to articulate his theory on the forces which shape the course of history. In this paper I briefly describe Tolstoy's theory of history and introduce his integration metaphor.  I then describe a writing assignment based on Tolstoy's metaphor.  In the assignment students are asked to critique Tolstoy's metaphor and discuss whether the metaphor is correct from a mathematical point of view.  I have used the writing assignment and resulting class discuss in calculus courses to reinforce the concept of the Riemann integral.