The Thoughts of Mathematics Through the Ages, Volume 2

Author: (American) Klein, translated by Zhu XueXian et al
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-07-01
Features: This book discusses major mathematical creations and developments from ancient times to the early decades of the 20th century, aiming to introduce central ideas, with particular emphasis on those that gradually emerged during major periods in the history of mathematics, became prominent, and had an impact on subsequent mathematical activities. The book is also extremely concerned with: perspectives on mathematics itself, the changes in such perspectives across different periods, and mathematicians' understanding of their own achievements. Some chapters of the book present samples of the mathematics already created in the fields discussed, but I firmly believe these samples are representative. Furthermore, in order to keep the focus on the main ideas, I often omit minor conditions required for strict accuracy when citing theorems or results. The book, of course, has its limitations, but the author believes it provides an overview of the entire history. The organization of the book emphasizes leading mathematical topics rather than mathematicians. Every branch of mathematics bears the imprint of its founders, and outstanding figures play a decisive role in determining the course of mathematics.