ΟΙ ΜΑΘΗΜΑΤΙΚΟΙ Ι (ΠΡΩΤΟΣ ΤΟΜΟΣ) ΑΠΟ ΤΟΝ ΖΗΝΩΝΑ ΕΩΣ ΤΟΝ CAUCHY

by Eric Temple Bell

Although their work is indespensable for an appreciation of much of science and philosophy, the great mathematicians are far less well-known than the great scientists and philosophers. Yet several of them have had interesting lives in military affairs, statecraft, and other practical pursuits. On the personal side, mathematicians have been all sorts and conditions of men - in fact, almost anything except stupid.
Men of Mathematics presents a fair sample of the lives of these extraordinarily gifted men. This volume Zeno, Eudoxus, Archimedes, Descartes, Fermat, Pascal, Newton, Leibniz, the Bernoullis, Euler, Lagrange, Laplace, Monge, Fourier, Poncelet, Gauss and Cauchy.

Genres: Mathematics, Science

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1937

About the author

Eric Temple Bell (February 7, 1883 – December 21, 1960) was a mathematician and science fiction author born in Scotland who lived in the U.S. for most of his life. He published his non-fiction under his given name and his fiction as John Taine.

Reviews

[Mike Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite books it inspired me to want to to be a mathematician - I did not in the end become one but I read Maths at University and at least was not lost unlike many if not most of my fellow student at the first Mathematical Analysis lecture..

I believe that it would do far more good to teach a Maths (and Science in general) by a historical approach as Bell does in these volumes. The usual way of teaching the subject gives the impression that Maths is a dead subject which can solve problems, often seeming to be very artificial.

[Hasnain · Rating 5 out of 5]

W book. Felt amazing to read. To read about the lives and the minds of the greats oof. W book indeed.

[James]

Bought next to the Thames on Southbank

[Elizabeth Finnegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is interesting on many levels, not just for its explanation of mathematical breakthroughs but also for the attitudes it conveys. Published in 1965 before Fermat's final theorem had been proved, it suggests that a basic proof is elementary and geometry is simple. No-one would get away with that now. Also shocking are attitudes to women and gay men.

Surprizing but not shocking is how it took before certain theories e.g. principle of duality in 1840s entered into mathematical thought. On the other hand, helpful to know that it was Pythagoras who stated a proof is based on assumptions, and Gauss who asserted that a proof that leads to absurdity is no proof at all. All educational researchers should be familiar with these ideas.

Although the author claims he will not dwell on biographical details, he does provide sufficient context to elicit discussion on why this book is called Men of Mathematics and not People in Mathematics.

A fascinating read.