The tangled origins of the Leibnizian calculus : a case study of a mathematical revolution / Richard C. Brown.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Brown, Richard C.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Calculus.

Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm, Freiherr von, 1646-1716.

Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (333 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Singapore : World Scientific Pub. Co., 2012.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book is a detailed study of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz's creation of calculus from 1673 to the 1680's. We examine and analyze the mathematics in several of his early manuscripts as well as various articles published in the Acta Eruditorum. It studies some of the other lesser known "calculi" Leibniz created such as the Analysis Situs, delves into aspects of his logic, and gives an overview of his efforts to construct a Universal Characteristic, a goal that has its distant origin in the Ars Magna of the 13th century Catalan philosopher Raymond Llull, whose work enjoyed a renewed popularity in

Contents:

Contents; Preface; Acknowledgments; 1. Evolution or Revolution in Mathematics; 2. Issues in Seventeenth Century Mathematics; 3. Isaac Barrow: A Foil to Leibniz; 4. A Young Central European Polymath; 5. First Steps in Mathematics; 6. The Creation of Calculus; 7. Logic; 8. The Universal Characteristic; 9. The Baroque Cultural Context; 10. Epilogue; 11. Some Concluding Remarks on Mathematical Change; Appendix A A Transmutation Theorem of Leibniz; Appendix B Leibniz's Series Quadrature of a Conic; Appendix C Syllogistic Logic; Appendix D The Vis Viva Dispute

Appendix E Some Applications of Curves and Neusis in Greek Geometry Appendix F Infinitesimals; A Note on the Author; Bibliography; Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9789814390804

9814390801

OCLC:

794328421