9780195084634
Philosophy Of Mathematics And Mathematical Practice In The Seventeenth Century - Paolo Mancosu
Oxford University Press, USA (1996)
In Collection
#1580

Read It:
Yes

The seventeenth century saw dramatic advances in mathematical theory and practice. With the recovery of many of the classical Greek mathematical texts, new techniques were introduced, and within 100 years, the rules of analytic geometry, geometry of indivisibles, arithmetic of infinites, and calculus were developed. Although many technical studies have been devoted to these innovations, Mancosu provides the first comprehensive account of the relationship between mathematical advances of the seventeenth century and the philosophy of mathematics of the period. Starting with the Renaissance debates on the certainty of mathematics, Mancosu leads the reader through the foundational issues raised by the emergence of these new mathematical techniques, including the influence of the Aristotelian conception of science in Cavalieri and Guldin, the foundational relevance of Descartes' Geometrie, the relation between geometrical and epistemological theories of the infinite, and the Leibnizian calculus and the opposition to infinitesimalist procedures. In the process Mancosu draws a sophisticated picture of the subtle dependencies between technical development and philosophical reflection in seventeenth century mathematics.

Product Details
LoC Classification QA8.4.M36 1996
Dewey 510.9032
Format Hardcover
Cover Price 145,00 €
No. of Pages 288
Height x Width 236 x 160 mm
Personal Details
Links Amazon