Mathematics in Victorian BritainOxford University Press, 29 de set. 2011 - 466 pàgines During the Victorian era, industrial and economic growth led to a phenomenal rise in productivity and invention. That spirit of creativity and ingenuity was reflected in the massive expansion in scope and complexity of many scientific disciplines during this time, with subjects evolving rapidly and the creation of many new disciplines. The subject of mathematics was no exception and many of the advances made by mathematicians during the Victorian period are still familiar today; matrices, vectors, Boolean algebra, histograms, and standard deviation were just some of the innovations pioneered by these mathematicians. This book constitutes perhaps the first general survey of the mathematics of the Victorian period. It assembles in a single source research on the history of Victorian mathematics that would otherwise be out of the reach of the general reader. It charts the growth and institutional development of mathematics as a profession through the course of the 19th century in England, Scotland, Ireland, and across the British Empire. It then focuses on developments in specific mathematical areas, with chapters ranging from developments in pure mathematical topics (such as geometry, algebra, and logic) to Victorian work in the applied side of the subject (including statistics, calculating machines, and astronomy). Along the way, we encounter a host of mathematical scholars, some very well known (such as Charles Babbage, James Clerk Maxwell, Florence Nightingale, and Lewis Carroll), others largely forgotten, but who all contributed to the development of Victorian mathematics. |
Continguts
1 | |
The rise and fall of the mathematical tripos | 17 |
A tale of three professors | 35 |
A survey of Victorian London | 53 |
Land of opportunity but few rewards | 77 |
Mathematics in Victorian Ireland | 103 |
Mathematics in the British Empire | 121 |
Victorian mathematical journals and societies | 155 |
12 Darwinian variation and the creation of mathematical statistics | 283 |
13 Instruction in the calculus and differential equations in Victorian and Edwardian Britain | 303 |
The Euclid debate | 321 |
The freedom to create new mathematical entities | 339 |
From Whately to Russell | 359 |
A very Victorian recreation | 377 |
18 Overstating their case? Refiections on British pure mathematics in the 19th century | 397 |
Notes references and further reading | 415 |
8 Victorian applied mathematics | 177 |
The age of the Grand Amateur | 201 |
Machines mathematics and misconceptions | 239 |
The measurement of public health | 261 |
Notes on contributors | 456 |
Acknowledgements | 459 |
463 | |
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Mathematics in Victorian Britain Raymond Flood,Adrian Rice,Robin Wilson Previsualització limitada - 2011 |
Mathematics in Victorian Britain Raymond Flood,Adrian Rice,Robin Wilson Previsualització no disponible - 2011 |
Frases i termes més freqüents
19th century academic algebra analysis analytical applied mathematics appointed Arthur Cayley astronomical Augustus De Morgan Babbage’s became Boole Boole’s British mathematicians British mathematics calculus Cayley’s chair Chapter Charles Babbage colours computation developed Dublin Edinburgh engineering Euclid examination functions Galton geometry George George Boole graduate Grattan-Guinness Hamilton Herschel history of mathematics institutions J. J. Sylvester James Joseph Sylvester James MacCullagh John Karl Pearson King’s College later lectures logic London Mathematical Society MacCullagh Magnello Math Mathematical Journal mathematical tripos mathematicians matics Maxwell mechanics methods natural philosophy Nightingale Observatory Oxford papers Parshall physics Press problem professor of mathematics published pure mathematics quaternions Royal Society scientific Scottish senior wrangler Smith statisticians statistics Stokes Sylvester’s symbols Tait teaching telescope textbooks theorem theory Thomas tion Treatise Univ University College Victorian Britain Victorian period Weldon William Rowan Hamilton William Thomson