Euclidean in the rainforest

Author: Joseph Mazur (USA), translated by Wu Fei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: A story-based history of mathematics, winner of the Guggenheim Award, a popular science book, ranked on the New York Times science bestseller list for 60 consecutive weeks. Full of insights, highly inspiring, rich in debate, and filled with humor, it is undoubtedly a wise work. — Professor Brian Garyson, Harvard University Department of the History of Science
"Rainforest Geometry" cleverly and ingeniously reveals the essence and spirit of mathematics. — Mayor of Hiroshima, Japan, Akiba Tadashi
Joseph has created a highly attractive writing style, building a wonderful bridge between daily reality and the mysterious world of mathematics. — Head of the Department of Mathematics, Harvard University, Joseph Harris
Abandoning complex proofs and dry technical language, he replaces them with interesting stories and rich experiences, resulting in wisdom, wonder, and excitement. — Publishers Weekly
In 300 BC, Euclid wrote "Elements" on 13 scrolls of papyrus. At that time, logical reasoning was already quite mature, but arguments like the following led conventional mathematical logic into contradictions. To move an object an arbitrary distance, it must first reach half the distance, then half the remaining distance, and so on, repeating infinitely. The object will never reach a remaining half-distance, so it can never move the entire distance. The strange concept of infinity and similar reasoning about logic posed a formidable challenge to mathematics. At first glance, these questions can be awe-inspiring, but in this book, we will look beyond the surface of mathematical proofs and logical reasoning to gain insights into the origins of mathematics—the fundamental patterns of mathematical thought and logical thinking—and use this to analyze the aforementioned questions. As the book states: Mathematics is like a lush rainforest. Walking through it, we not only feel the greatness of wisdom but also the beauty of mathematics brought by profound thoughts and rigorous arguments, as well as the joy of the journey. This book, through interesting stories and rich experiences, builds a wonderful bridge between daily reality and the mysterious world of mathematics, cleverly and ingeniously revealing the essence and spirit of mathematics.