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Books > Science & Mathematics > Mathematics > History of mathematics
Menahem Max Schiffer, a mathematician of many interests, produced a body of work including topics on geometric function theory, Riemann surfaces, and partial differential equations, with a focus on applications and mathematical physics. Perhaps his best known work is that in the calculus of variations, especially extremal problem, s which find application in many scientific areas. This two volume set presents over 50 of the most groundbreaking contributions of this beloved mathematician. All of the reprints of Schiffer s works herein have extensive annotation and invited commentaries, giving new clarity and insight into the impact and legacy of Schiffer's works. A complete bibliography and brief biography make this a rounded and invaluable reference."
The twentieth century is the period during which the history of Greek mathematics reached its greatest acme. Indeed, it is by no means exaggerated to say that Greek mathematics represents the unique field from the wider domain of the general history of science which was included in the research agenda of so many and so distinguished scholars, from so varied scientific communities (historians of science, historians of philosophy, mathematicians, philologists, philosophers of science, archeologists etc. ), while new scholarship of the highest quality continues to be produced. This volume includes 19 classic papers on the history of Greek mathematics that were published during the entire 20th century and affected significantly the state of the art of this field. It is divided into six self-contained sections, each one with its own editor, who had the responsibility for the selection of the papers that are republished in the section, and who wrote the introduction of the section. It constitutes a kind of a Reader book which is today, one century after the first publications of Tannery, Zeuthen, Heath and the other outstanding figures of the end of the 19th and the beg- ning of 20th century, rather timely in many respects.
This volume focuses on the outstanding contributions made by botany and the mathematical sciences to the genesis and development of early modern garden art and garden culture. The many facets of the mathematical sciences and botany point to the increasingly "scientific" approach that was being adopted in and applied to garden art and garden culture in the early modern period. This development was deeply embedded in the philosophical, religious, political, cultural and social contexts, running parallel to the beginning of processes of scientization so characteristic for modern European history. This volume strikingly shows how these various developments are intertwined in gardens for various purposes.
This book offers an original and informative view of the development of fundamental concepts of computability theory. The treatment is put into historical context, emphasizing the motivation for ideas as well as their logical and formal development. In Part I the author introduces computability theory, with chapters on the foundational crisis of mathematics in the early twentieth century, and formalism. In Part II he explains classical computability theory, with chapters on the quest for formalization, the Turing Machine, and early successes such as defining incomputable problems, c.e. (computably enumerable) sets, and developing methods for proving incomputability. In Part III he explains relative computability, with chapters on computation with external help, degrees of unsolvability, the Turing hierarchy of unsolvability, the class of degrees of unsolvability, c.e. degrees and the priority method, and the arithmetical hierarchy. Finally, in the new Part IV the author revisits the computability (Church-Turing) thesis in greater detail. He offers a systematic and detailed account of its origins, evolution, and meaning, he describes more powerful, modern versions of the thesis, and he discusses recent speculative proposals for new computing paradigms such as hypercomputing. This is a gentle introduction from the origins of computability theory up to current research, and it will be of value as a textbook and guide for advanced undergraduate and graduate students and researchers in the domains of computability theory and theoretical computer science. This new edition is completely revised, with almost one hundred pages of new material. In particular the author applied more up-to-date, more consistent terminology, and he addressed some notational redundancies and minor errors. He developed a glossary relating to computability theory, expanded the bibliographic references with new entries, and added the new part described above and other new sections.
Covering the years 2008-2012, this bookprofilesthe life and work
of recent winners of the Abel Prize: The book also presents a history of the Abel Prize written by the historian Kim Helsvig, and includes a facsimile of aletter from Niels Henrik Abel, which is transcribed, translated into English, and placed into historical perspectiveby Christian Skau. This book follows onThe Abel Prize: 2003-2007, The First Five Years(Springer, 2010), which profiles the work of the first Abel Prize winners. "
The manuscript gives a coherent and detailed account of the theory of series in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It provides in one place an account of many results that are generally to be found - if at all - scattered throughout the historical and textbook literature. It presents the subject from the viewpoint of the mathematicians of the period, and is careful to distinguish earlier conceptions from ones that prevail today.
This two volume set presents over 50 of the most groundbreaking contributions of Menahem M Schiffer. All of the reprints of Schiffer's works herein have extensive annotation and invited commentaries, giving new clarity and insight into the impact and legacy of Schiffer's work. A complete bibliography and brief biography make this a rounded and invaluable reference.
This book is an attempt to describe the gradual development of the major schools of research on number theory in South India, Punjab, Mumbai, Bengal, and Bihar-including the establishment of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, a landmark event in the history of research of number theory in India. Research on number theory in India during modern times started with the advent of the iconic genius Srinivasa Ramanujan, inspiring mathematicians around the world. This book discusses the national and international impact of the research made by Indian number theorists. It also includes a carefully compiled, comprehensive bibliography of major 20th century Indian number theorists making this book important from the standpoint of historic documentation and a valuable resource for researchers of the field for their literature survey. This book also briefly discusses the importance of number theory in the modern world of mathematics, including applications of the results developed by indigenous number theorists in practical fields. Since the book is written from the viewpoint of the history of science, technical jargon and mathematical expressions have been avoided as much as possible.
Written by a distinguished specialist in functional analysis, this book presents a comprehensive treatment of the history of Banach spaces and (abstract bounded) linear operators. Banach space theory is presented as a part of a broad mathematics context, using tools from such areas as set theory, topology, algebra, combinatorics, probability theory, logic, etc. Equal emphasis is given to both spaces and operators. The book may serve as a reference for researchers and as an introduction for graduate students who want to learn Banach space theory with some historical flavor.
This study discusses the history of the central limit theorem and related probabilistic limit theorems from about 1810 through 1950. In this context the book also describes the historical development of analytical probability theory and its tools, such as characteristic functions or moments. The central limit theorem was originally deduced by Laplace as a statement about approximations for the distributions of sums of independent random variables within the framework of classical probability, which focused upon specific problems and applications. Making this theorem an autonomous mathematical object was very important for the development of modern probability theory.
This book offers an accessible and in-depth look at some of the most important episodes of two thousand years of mathematical history. Beginning with trigonometry and moving on through logarithms, complex numbers, infinite series, and calculus, this book profiles some of the lesser known but crucial contributors to modern day mathematics. It is unique in its use of primary sources as well as its accessibility; a knowledge of first-year calculus is the only prerequisite. But undergraduate and graduate students alike will appreciate this glimpse into the fascinating process of mathematical creation. The history of math is an intercontinental journey, and this book showcases brilliant mathematicians from Greece, Egypt, and India, as well as Europe and the Islamic world. Several of the primary sources have never before been translated into English. Their interpretation is thorough and readable, and offers an excellent background for teachers of high school mathematics as well as anyone interested in the history of math.
This is the second and final volume of Dutch physicist Hendrik Antoon Lorentz's scientific correspondence with Dutch colleagues, including Pieter Zeeman and Paul Ehrenfest. These 294 letters cover multiple subjects, ranging from pure mathematics to magneto-optics and wave mechanics. They reveal much about their author, including Lorentz's surprisingly active involvement in experimental matters in the first decades of his career. Letters are also devoted to general relativity, Lorentz's 1908 lecture on radiation theory, and his receipt of the Nobel Prize along with Zeeman in 1902. The letters are presented in their original language; Dutch originals are accompanied by English translations. A concise biography of Lorentz is also included.
This book presents the contributions of the 20th century to economic theory in a mathematical language and in historical sequence. General equilibrium is the focal point of the book; but also a number of macroeconomic models, especially with respect to the first half of the century, are considered. Dynamic models are extensively studied per se, and not merely as extensions of their static counterparts. The book with its extensive bibliography gives a broad view over the developments in mathematical economics and is therefore an invaluable source of information for researchers and students working in this field.
The focus of this book is on the birth and historical development of permutation statistical methods from the early 1920s to the near present. Beginning with the seminal contributions of R.A. Fisher, E.J.G. Pitman, and others in the 1920s and 1930s, permutation statistical methods were initially introduced to validate the assumptions of classical statistical methods. Permutation methods have advantages over classical methods in that they are optimal for small data sets and non-random samples, are data-dependent, and are free of distributional assumptions. Permutation probability values may be exact, or estimated via moment- or resampling-approximation procedures. Because permutation methods are inherently computationally-intensive, the evolution of computers and computing technology that made modern permutation methods possible accompanies the historical narrative. Permutation analogs of many well-known statistical tests are presented in a historical context, including multiple correlation and regression, analysis of variance, contingency table analysis, and measures of association and agreement. A non-mathematical approach makes the text accessible to readers of all levels.
Mathematics Across Cultures: A History of Non-Western Mathematics consists of essays dealing with the mathematical knowledge and beliefs of cultures outside the United States and Europe. In addition to articles surveying Islamic, Chinese, Native American, Aboriginal Australian, Inca, Egyptian, and African mathematics, among others, the book includes essays on Rationality, Logic and Mathematics, and the transfer of knowledge from East to West. The essays address the connections between science and culture and relate the mathematical practices to the cultures which produced them. Each essay is well illustrated and contains an extensive bibliography. Because the geographic range is global, the book fills a gap in both the history of science and in cultural studies. It should find a place on the bookshelves of advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and scholars, as well as in libraries serving those groups.
Gian-Carlo Rota was born in Vigevano, Italy, in 1932. He died in Cambridge, Mas sachusetts, in 1999. He had several careers, most notably as a mathematician, but also as a philosopher and a consultant to the United States government. His mathe matical career was equally varied. His early mathematical studies were at Princeton (1950 to 1953) and Yale (1953 to 1956). In 1956, he completed his doctoral thesis under the direction of Jacob T. Schwartz. This thesis was published as the pa per "Extension theory of differential operators I", the first paper reprinted in this volume. Rota's early work was in analysis, more specifically, in operator theory, differ ential equations, ergodic theory, and probability theory. In the 1960's, Rota was motivated by problems in fluctuation theory to study some operator identities of Glen Baxter (see [7]). Together with other problems in probability theory, this led Rota to study combinatorics. His series of papers, "On the foundations of combi natorial theory", led to a fundamental re-evaluation of the subject. Later, in the 1990's, Rota returned to some of the problems in analysis and probability theory which motivated his work in combinatorics. This was his intention all along, and his early death robbed mathematics of his unique perspective on linkages between the discrete and the continuous. Glimpses of his new research programs can be found in [2,3,6,9,10].
This volume presents a selection of papers by Henry P. McKean, which illustrate the various areas in mathematics in which he has made seminal contributions. Topics covered include probability theory, integrable systems, geometry and financial mathematics. Each paper represents a contribution by Prof. McKean, either alone or together with other researchers, that has had a profound influence in the respective area.
Please note that this Floris Books edition has been revised for UK and European notation, language and metric systems. From the early peoples who marvelled at the geometry of nature -- the beehive and bird's nest -- to ancient civilisations who questioned beautiful geometric forms and asked 'why?', the story of geometry spans thousands of years. Using only three simple tools -- the string, the straight-edge and the shadow -- human beings revealed the basic principles and constructions of elementary geometry. Weaving history and legend, this fascinating book reconstructs the discoveries of mathematics's most famous figures. Through illustrations and diagrams, readers are able to follow the reasoning that lead to an ingenious proof of the Pythagorean theorem, an appreciation of the significance of the Golden Mean in art and architecture, or the construction of the five regular solids. This insightful and engaging book makes geometry accessible to everyone. Readers will be fascinated with how the knowledge and wisdom of so many cultures helped shape our civilisation today. String, Straight-edge and Shadow is also a useful and inspiring book for those teaching geometry in Steiner-Waldorf classrooms.
Hermann Gunther Gramann was one of the 19th century's most remarkable scientists, but many aspects of his life have remained in the dark. This book assembles essential, first-hand information on the Gramann family. It sheds light on the family's struggle for scientific knowledge, progress and education. It puts a face on the protagonists of an exciting development in the history of science. And it highlights the peculiar set of influences which led Hermann Gramann to brilliant insights in mathematics, philology and physics. This book of sources is meant to complement the biography of Gramann and the proceedings of the 2009 Gramann Bicentennial Conference (Birkhauser 2010). "Roots and Traces" will interest all scholars working on Hermann Gramann and related topics. It offers newly discovered pictures of family members, historical texts documenting life in this exceptional family and an English translation of these previously unpublished papers. Text in German and English.
The Mathematics of Measurement is a historical survey of the introduction of mathematics to physics and of the branches of mathematics that were developed specifically for handling measurements, including dimensional analysis, error analysis, and the calculus of quantities.
This book presents new insights into Leibniz's research on planetary theory and his system of pre-established harmony. Although some aspects of this theory have been explored in the literature, others are less well known. In particular, the book offers new contributions on the connection between the planetary theory and the theory of gravitation. It also provides an in-depth discussion of Kepler's influence on Leibniz's planetary theory and more generally, on Leibniz's concept of pre-established harmony. Three initial chapters presenting the mathematical and physical details of Leibniz's works provide a frame of reference. The book then goes on to discuss research on Leibniz's conception of gravity and the connection between Leibniz and Kepler.
* Examines the history and philosophy of the mathematical sciences in a cultural context, tracing their evolution from ancient times up to the twentieth century * 176 articles contributed by authors of 18 nationalities * Chronological table of main events in the development of mathematics * Fully integrated index of people, events and topics * Annotated bibliographies of both classic and contemporary sources * Unique coverage of Ancient and non-Western traditions of mathematics
Leon Ehrenpreis has been one of the leading mathematicians in the twentieth century. His contributions to the theory of partial differential equations were part of the golden era of PDEs, and led him to what is maybe his most important contribution, the Fundamental Principle, which he announced in 1960, and fully demonstrated in 1970. His most recent work, on the other hand, focused on a novel and far reaching understanding of the Radon transform, and offered new insights in integral geometry. Leon Ehrenpreis died in 2010, and this volume collects writings in his honor by a cadre of distinguished mathematicians, many of which were his collaborators.
China's most sophisticated system of computational astronomy was created for a Mongol emperor who could neither read nor write Chinese, to celebrate victory over China after forty years of devastating war. This book explains how and why, and reconstructs the observatory and the science that made it possible. For two thousand years, a fundamental ritual of government was the emperor's "granting the seasons" to his people at the New Year by issuing an almanac containing an accurate lunisolar calendar. The high point of this tradition was the "Season-granting system" (Shou-shih li, 1280). Its treatise records detailed instructions for computing eclipses of the sun and moon and motions of the planets, based on a rich archive of observations, some ancient and some new. Sivin, the West's leading scholar of the Chinese sciences, not only recreates the project's cultural, political, bureaucratic, and personal dimensions, but translates the extensive treatise and explains every procedure in minimally technical language. The book contains many tables, illustrations, and aids to reference. It is clearly written for anyone who wants to understand the fundamental role of science in Chinese history. There is no comparable study of state science in any other early civilization.
Discussions of the foundations of mathematics and their history are frequently restricted to logical issues in a narrow sense, or else to traditional problems of analytic philosophy. From Dedekind to GAdel: Essays on the Development of the Foundations of Mathematics illustrates the much greater variety of the actual developments in the foundations during the period covered. The viewpoints that serve this purpose included the foundational ideas of working mathematicians, such as Kronecker, Dedekind, Borel and the early Hilbert, and the development of notions like model and modelling, arbitrary function, completeness, and non-Archimedean structures. The philosophers discussed include not only the household names in logic, but also Husserl, Wittgenstein and Ramsey. Needless to say, such logically-oriented thinkers as Frege, Russell and GAdel are not entirely neglected, either. Audience: Everybody interested in the philosophy and/or history of mathematics will find this book interesting, giving frequently novel insights. |
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