Oxford Figures: Eight Centuries of the Mathematical SciencesJohn Fauvel, Raymond Flood, Robin Wilson OUP Oxford, 19 de set. 2013 - 352 pàgines This is the story of the intellectual and social life of a community, and of its interactions with the wider world. For eight centuries mathematics has been researched and studied at Oxford, and the subject and its teaching have undergone profound changes during that time. This highly readable and beautifully illustrated book reveals the richness and influence of Oxford's mathematical tradition and the fascinating characters that helped to shape it. The story begins with the founding of the University of Oxford and the establishing of the medieval curriculum, in which mathematics had an important role. The Black Death, the advent of printing, the Civil War, and the Newtonian revolution all had a great influence on the development of mathematics at Oxford. So too did many well-known figures: Roger Bacon, Henry Savile, Robert Hooke, Christopher Wren, Edmond Halley, Florence Nightingale, Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll), and G. H. Hardy, to name but a few. Later chapters bring us to the 20th century, with some entertaining reminiscences by Sir Michael Atiyah of the thirty years he spent as an Oxford mathematician. In this second edition the story is brought right up to the opening of the new Mathematical Institute in 2013 with a foreword from Marcus du Sautoy and recent developments from Peter M. Neumann. |
Continguts
Medieval Oxford | |
Renaissance Oxford | |
Mathematical instruments | |
The first professors | vi |
Oxfords Newtonian school | iii |
Georgian Oxford | iii |
John Wallis | iii |
NEUMANN | lxviii |
Oxfords mathematical Chairs | lxxxviii |
The 19th century | 1 |
Henry Smith | 1 |
James Joseph Sylvester | 28 |
THE MODERN | 35 |
Picture sources and acknowledgements | 43 |
Some personal reminiscences | 52 |
Frases i termes més freqüents
18th century academic Algebra appointed Astronomer Royal astronomy Balliol became Bradley’s Briggs calculation Cambridge career Cayley Chair of Astronomy Chair of Geometry Chapter Charles Christ Church Christopher Wren Clarendon Press classical course David Gregory Dodgson early edition Edmond Halley elected English Euclid Euclid’s Elements examination fellow Flamsteed G. H. Hardy graduate Greenwich Halley’s Henry Savile History of Science Hornsby’s instruments interest J. J. Sylvester James Bradley James Joseph Sylvester John Keill John Wallis later logic London manuscripts Mathematical Institute mathematical sciences Mathematical Society Museum Nathaniel Bliss Natural Philosophy Newton Newtonian observations Oxford mathematicians Oxford mathematics Oxford University Press papers physics Professor of Astronomy Professor of Geometry published quadrant Radcliffe Observatory Rigaud Royal Society Savile’s Savilian Chair Savilian Professor scholars School scientific stars Sylvester’s teaching telescope theory Thomas Harriot Thomas Hornsby tradition tutor undergraduate University of Oxford Wallis’s William