Philosophy of Mathematics and Mathematical Practice in the Seventeenth Century

by
Format: Hardcover
Pub. Date: 1996-01-18
Publisher(s): Oxford University Press
List Price: $285.31

Buy New

Usually Ships in 5-7 Business Days
$271.72

Rent Textbook

Select for Price
There was a problem. Please try again later.

Digital

Rent Digital Options
Online:180 Days access
Downloadable:180 Days
$50.99
Online:365 Days access
Downloadable:365 Days
$57.75
Online:1460 Days access
Downloadable:Lifetime Access
$76.99
*To support the delivery of the digital material to you, a non-refundable digital delivery fee of $3.99 will be charged on each digital item.
$61.19*

Used Textbook

We're Sorry
Sold Out

How Marketplace Works:

  • This item is offered by an independent seller and not shipped from our warehouse
  • Item details like edition and cover design may differ from our description; see seller's comments before ordering.
  • Sellers much confirm and ship within two business days; otherwise, the order will be cancelled and refunded.
  • Marketplace purchases cannot be returned to eCampus.com. Contact the seller directly for inquiries; if no response within two days, contact customer service.
  • Additional shipping costs apply to Marketplace purchases. Review shipping costs at checkout.

Summary

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.

Table of Contents

Philosophy of Mathematics and Mathematical Practice in the Early Seventeenth Century
8(26)
The Quaestio de Certitudine Mathematicarum
10(5)
The Quaestio in the Seventeenth Century
15(9)
The Quaestio and Mathematical Practice
24(10)
Cavalieri's Geometry of Indivisibles and Guldin's Centers of Gravity
34(31)
Magnitudes, Ratios, and the Method of Exhaustion
35(3)
Cavalieri's Two Methods of Indivisibles
38(12)
Guldin's Objections to Cavalieri's Geometry of Indivisibles
50(6)
Guldin's Centrobaryca and Cavalieri's Objections
56(9)
Descartes' Geometrie
65(27)
Descartes' Geometrie
65(19)
The Algebraization of Mathematics
84(8)
The Problem of Continuity
92(26)
Motion and Genetic Definitions
94(6)
The ``Causal'' Theories in Arnauld and Bolzano
100(5)
Proofs by Contradiction from Kant to the Present
105(13)
Paradoxes of the Infinite
118(32)
Indivisibles and Infinitely Small Quantities
119(10)
The Infinitely Large
129(21)
Leibniz's Differential Calculus and Its Opponents
150(28)
Leibniz's Nova Methodus and L`Hopital's Analyse des Infiniment Petits
151(5)
Early Debates with Cluver and Nieuwentijt
156(9)
The Foundational Debate in the Paris Academy of Sciences
165(13)
Appendix: Giuseppe Biancani's De Mathematicarum Natura 178(35)
Gyula Klima
Notes 213(36)
References 249(18)
Index 267

An electronic version of this book is available through VitalSource.

This book is viewable on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and most smartphones.

By purchasing, you will be able to view this book online, as well as download it, for the chosen number of days.

Digital License

You are licensing a digital product for a set duration. Durations are set forth in the product description, with "Lifetime" typically meaning five (5) years of online access and permanent download to a supported device. All licenses are non-transferable.

More details can be found here.

A downloadable version of this book is available through the eCampus Reader or compatible Adobe readers.

Applications are available on iOS, Android, PC, Mac, and Windows Mobile platforms.

Please view the compatibility matrix prior to purchase.