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A History Of Mathematics: From Mesopotamia To Modernity Covers The Evolution Of Mathematics Through Time And Across The Major Eastern And Western Civilizations. It Begins In Babylon, Then Describes The Trials And Tribulations Of The Greek Mathematicians. The Important, And Often Neglected, Influence Of Both Chinese And Islamic Mathematics Is Covered In Detail, Placing The Description Of Early Western Mathematics In A Global Context. The Book Concludes With Modern Mathematics, Covering Recent Developments Such As The Advent Of The Computer, Chaos Theory, Topology, Mathematical Physics, And The Solution Of Fermat's Last Theorem. Containing More Than 100 Illustrations And Figures, This Text, Aimed At Advanced Undergraduates And Postgraduates, Addresses The Methods And Challenges Associated With Studying The History Of Mathematics. The Reader Is Introduced To The Leading Figures In The History Of Mathematics (including Archimedes, Ptolemy, Qin Jiushao, Al-kashi, Al-khwarizmi, Galileo, Newton, Leibniz, Helmholtz, Hilbert, Alan Turing, And Andrew Wiles) And Their Fields. An Extensive Bibliography With Cross-references To Key Texts Will Provide Invaluable Resource To Students And Exercises (with Solutions) Will Stretch The More Advanced Reader.
This text investigates the global evolution of mathematical thought by situating Western developments within a broader, cross-cultural historical framework. Luke Hodgkin, an experienced academic, utilizes a chronological and thematic approach to trace the progression of mathematical concepts from ancient Babylonian practices to contemporary computational and theoretical breakthroughs. The work argues that mathematics is a cumulative, multicultural endeavor rather than a strictly linear Western progression, providing a rigorous analysis of how different civilizations contributed to the field's current state.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Academic reviewers and educators frequently note the high level of technical density and the rigorous, scholarly approach of the prose. Experts highlight this work as a comprehensive resource for students seeking to understand the historical context and methodological challenges inherent in the study of mathematics.
Page Count:
296
Publication Date:
2005-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191523836
ISBN-13:
9780191523830
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