Drawing primarily from historical examples, this book explains the tremendous role that numbers and, in particular, mathematics play in all aspects of our civilization and culture. The lively style and illustrative examples will engage the reader who wants to understand the many ways in which mathematics enables science, technology, art, music, politics, and rational foundations of human thought. Each chapter focuses on the influence of mathematics in a specific field and on a specific historical figure, such as "Pythagoras: Numbers and Symbol"; "Bach: Numbers and Music"; "Descartes: Numbers and Space."

In this small text the basic theory of the continuum, including the elements of metric space theory and continuity is developed within the system of intuitionistic mathematics in the sense of L.E.J. Brouwer and H. Weyl. The main features are proofs of the famous theorems of Brouwer concerning the continuity of all functions that are defined on "whole" intervals, the uniform continuity of all functions that are defined on compact intervals, and the uniform convergence of all pointwise converging sequences of functions defined on compact intervals. The constructive approach is interesting both in itself and as a contrast to, for example, the formal axiomatic one.

In the English edition, the chapter on the Geometry of Numbers has been enlarged to include the important findings of H. Lenstraj furthermore, tried and tested examples and exercises have been included. The translator, Prof. Charles Thomas, has solved the difficult problem of the German text into English in an admirable way. He deserves transferring our 'Unreserved praise and special thailks. Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to Springer-Verlag, for their commitment to the publication of this English edition, and for the special care taken in its production. Vienna, March 1991 E. Hlawka J. SchoiBengeier R. Taschner Preface to the German Edition We have set ourselves two aims with the present book on number theory. On the one hand for a reader who has studied elementary number theory, and who has knowledge of analytic geometry, differential and integral calculus, together with the elements of complex variable theory, we wish to introduce basic results from the areas of the geometry of numbers, diophantine ap proximation, prime number theory, and the asymptotic calculation of number theoretic functions. However on the other hand for the student who has al ready studied analytic number theory, we also present results and principles of proof, which until now have barely if at all appeared in text books.

In einem informativen und anregenden Streifzug von Pythagoras uber Bach zu Bohr zeigt der Autor den Einfluss der Zahlen in der Welt des Wissens und unserer Kultur. In einer lebendigen und persoenlich gefarbten Sprache, unterstutzt durch eine Fulle bestechend schoener Abbildungen, wird der weit gespannte Themenbereich einem breiten Leserkreis verstandlich dargestellt. Dass nach einem Jahr nach Erscheinen bereits die dritte Auflage erfolgte, belegt die These, dass viele Menschen Mathematik vor allem als wesentlichen Bestandteil unserer Kultur empfinden und daruber mehr erfahren wollen. In der dritten Auflage wurden einige Fussnoten im Anmerkungsteil erganzt.

Philosophen und Theologen haben uber das Unendliche nachgedacht. Doch die wahre Wissenschaft vom Unendlichen ist die Mathematik. Rudolf Taschner gelingt es, diesen zentralen Begriff auch dem mathematischen Laien zu vermitteln. Auf anschauliche Weise beschreibt er, wie bereits Pythagoras, Archimedes und Euklid versucht haben, das Unendliche zu fassen. Er macht uns mit Newton und Leibniz bekannt, die entdeckten, dass das Phanomen von Bewegung und Wandel nur durch die Erforschung des Unendlichen verstandlich wird. Mit Spannung kann der Leser den dramatischen Streit zwischen den unterschiedlichen Positionen von Cantor, Hilbert und Brouwer verfolgen - ein Streit, der nach den Erkenntnissen Goedels unentschiedener ist denn je.

Konstruktive Analysis wird in diesem Buch mit anschaulichen Graphiken und bestechenden Beispielen so vorgestellt, dass sie bereits mit elementaren Schulkenntnissen als Voraussetzung verstanden wird. Sie stellt eine hoechst attraktive Alternative zur konventionellen, auf den willkurlich gesetzten Axiomen der Mengentheorie fussenden formalen Mathematik dar. Und sie fuhrt zu spektakularen Einsichten uber Stetigkeit und gleichmassige Stetigkeit, uber gleichmassige Konvergenz und uber die Vertauschung von Limes und Integral, die der konventionellen Mathematik ganzlich verwehrt sind.

In this lively history of game theory, a gifted math educator and science writer explains for lay readers the uses and value of this innovative yet easy-to-understand approach to mathematical modeling. Essentially, game theory interprets life as a game with mathematical rules. By following the rules, decisions can be calculated that result in the greatest benefit for all participants. The author takes the reader from the 17th century through the Cold War to today's age of turbo capitalism. Along the way he introduces such leading contributors as Blaise Pascal in the 17th century, who invented the theory of probability; Ludwig Wittgenstein in the 20th century, who conceived of the world as a play of words; John Nash (the subject of A Beautiful Mind) in the 1950s, who laid the foundation of modern game theory; and today's practitioners who apply the theory to global finance and military strategy. As the author shows, game theory is more than a type of cost-benefit analysis; ultimately, it is a quest for meaning.