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Re: [HM] Mathesis Universalis
Posted:
Nov 15, 1999 5:19 PM
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> I have developed an interest in the emergence of the notion of 'mathesis
> universalis'. The obvious candidates are Descartes and Leibniz, but I'd
> like to look at the rest. I've found a reference to a work by Wallis of
> 1657, but nothing else. So
>
> i) Can anyone point me to a discussion (in English or French) of this work
> of Wallis'
>
> ii) Does anyone know of any other works of about that period on universal
> algebra?
Jacob Klein's book "Greek mathematical thought and the origin of algebra"
(Dover, 1992 - the text was written in 1934) deals extensively with the
notion of mathesis universalis. This is a dense book, full of references.
The last chapter deals with Wallis, more precisely with his concept of
"number" as well as his Mathesis univesalis (pp. 211 - 244). But you will
find a lenghty discussion of the same notion in the works of Descartes,
Stevin, Vieta. A whole chapter studies Vieta's reinterpretation of
Diophantus, which is made by transforming the "katholou pragmateia" (general
treatment of problems) of Greek mathematics into a mathesis universalis in
the modern sense (in which arithmetics is prominent).
Olivier Souan
PS : there is also a chapter on Aristotle in the aforementioned book.
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