|
Showing 1 - 5 of
5 matches in All Departments
Isaac Newton is generally regarded as one of the greatest
scientists in history, yet the spectrum of his interests was much
broader than that of a contemporary scientist. He was deeply
involved in alchemical, religious and biblical studies, and in the
later part of his life he played a prominent role in British
politics, economics and the promotion of scientific research.
Newton's pivotal work Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica,
which sets out his laws of universal gravitation and motion, is
regarded as one of the most important works in the history of
science. Niccolo Guicciardini's enlightening biography offers an
accessible introduction to Newton's celebrated work in mathematics,
optics and astronomy and to how Newton viewed these scientific
fields in relation to his quest for the deepest secrets of the
universe, matter theory and religion. Guicciardini sets Newton the
natural philosopher in the troubled context of the religious and
political debates that took place during Newton's life, which
spanned from the years of the Civil War to the Restoration, the
Glorious Revolution and the Hanoverian succession. Taking into
account the latest Newtonian scholarship, this fast-paced biography
will appeal to all those with an interest in this iconic figure and
the great scientific revolution of the early modern period.
The controversial matters surrounding the notion of anachronism are
difficult ones: they have been broached by literary and art
critics, by philosophers, as well as by historians of science. This
book adopts a bottom-up approach to the many problems concerning
anachronism in the history of mathematics. Some of the leading
scholars in the field of history of mathematics reflect on the
applicability of present-day mathematical language, concepts,
standards, disciplinary boundaries, indeed notions of mathematics
itself, to well-chosen historical case studies belonging to the
mathematics of the past, in European and non-European cultures. A
detailed introduction describes the key themes and binds the
various chapters together. The interdisciplinary and transcultural
approach adopted allows this volume to cover topics important for
history of mathematics, history of the physical sciences, history
of science, philosophy of mathematics, history of philosophy,
methodology of history, non-European science, and the transmission
of mathematical knowledge across cultures.
Isaac Newton's Principia is considered one of the masterpieces in
the history of science. The mathematical methods employed by Newton
in the Principia stimulated much debate among his contemporaries,
especially Leibniz, Huygens, Bernoulli and Euler, who debated their
merits and drawbacks. Among the questions they asked were: How
should natural philosophy be mathematized?; Is it legitimate to use
uninterpreted symbols?; Is it possible to depart from the
established Archimedean or Galilean/Huygenian tradition of
geometrizing nature?; What is the value of elegance and
conciseness?; What is the relation between Newton's geometrical
methods and the calculus? This book explains how Newton addressed
these issues, taking into consideration the values that directed
the research of Newton and his contemporaries. This book will be of
interest to researchers and advanced students in departments of
history of science, philosophy of science, physics, mathematics and
astronomy.
Guicciardini presents a comprehensive survey of both the research
and teaching of Newtonian calculus, the calculus of "fluxions,"
over the period between 1700 and 1810. Although Newton was one of
the inventors of calculus, the developments in Britain remained
separate from the rest of Europe for over a century. While it is
usually maintained that after Newton there was a period of decline
in British mathematics, the author's research demonstrates that the
methods used by researchers of the period yielded considerable
success in laying the foundations and investigating the
applications of the calculus. Even when "decline" set in, in mid
century, the foundations of the reform were being laid, which were
to change the direction and nature of the mathematics community.
The book considers the importance of Isaac Newton, Roger Cotes,
Brook Taylor, James Stirling, Abraham de Moivre, Colin Maclaurin,
Thomas Bayes, John Landen and Edward Waring. This will be a useful
book for students and researchers in the history of science,
philosophers of science and undergraduates studying the history of
mathematics.
Guicciardini presents a comprehensive survey of both the research and teaching of Newtonian calculus, the calculus of "fluxions", over the period between 1700 and 1810. Although Newton was one of the inventors of calculus, the developments in Britain remained separate from the rest of Europe for over a century. While it is usually maintained that after Newton there was a period of decline in British mathematics, the author's research demonstrates that the methods used by researchers of the period yielded considerable success in laying the foundations and investigating the applications of the calculus. Even when "decline" set in, in mid century, the foundations of the reform were being laid, which were to change the direction and nature of the mathematics community. The book considers the importance of Isaac Newton, Roger Cotes, Brook Taylor, James Stirling, Abraham de Moivre, Colin Maclaurin, Thomas Bayes, John Landen and Edward Waring. This will be a useful book for students and researchers in the history of science, philosophers of science and undergraduates studying the history of mathematics.
|
|