British Versions of Book II of Euclid's Elements: Geometry, Arithmetic, Algebra (1550-1750)

This book discusses the changing conceptions about the relationship between geometry and arithmetic within the Euclidean tradition that developed in the British context of the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Its focus is on Book II of the Elements and the ways in which algebraic symbolism and methods, especially as recently introduced by François Viète and his followers, took center stage as mediators between the two realms, and thus offered new avenues to work out that relationship in idiosyncratic ways not found in earlier editions of the Euclidean text. Texts examined include Robert Recorde's Pathway to Knowledge (1551), Henry Billingsley's first English translation of the Elements (1570), Clavis Mathematicae by William Oughtred and Artis Analyticae Praxis by Thomas Harriot (both published in 1631), Isaac Barrow's versions of the Elements (1660), and John Wallis Treatise of Algebra (1685), and the English translations of Claude Dechales' French Euclidean Elements (1685). This book offers a completely new perspective of the topic and analyzes mostly unexplored material. It will be of interest to historians of mathematics, mathematicians with an interest in history and historians of renaissance science in general.

Explores the British Euclidean traditions Offers a completely new perspective of the topic and analyzes mostly unexplored material Discusses the changing conceptions about the relationship between geometry and arithmetic within the Euclidean tradition

Autorentext
Raya Leviathan has extensive experience as a computer professional in software, computer architecture, and software project management. She attained her first doctoral degree in Computer Science at the WIS and participated in the SAFEAIR European project with Amir Pnueli as a research advisor. She completed her second History of Technology Ph.D., in Tel Aviv University under the supervision of Leo Corry, about the first computer in Israel, and they co-wrote two books on the history of computing in Israel: WEIZAC: An Israeli Pioneering Adventure in Electronic Computing (1945-1963) Springer, 2019, and Chaim L. Pekeris and the Art of Applying Mathematics with WEIZAC, (1955-1963) Springer Nature. Currently, a research associate in Tel Aviv University. Leo Corry is the Bert and Barbara Cohn (Emeritus) Professor of History and Philosophy of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, where he also was Dean of Humanities (2015-2020). Since October 2024, he is serving as President of the Open University of Israel.

Inhalt

1. Introduction: Euclidean Background.- 2. The Main Figures: From Recorde to Wallis and Barrow.- 3. Some Lesser-known Figures.- 4. Summary and Concluding Remarks.- 5. References.