Mathematics: A Concise History and Philosophy

by W.S. Anglin

Book Overview

This is a concise introductory textbook for a one semester course in the history and philosophy of mathematics. It is written for mathematics majors, philosophy students, history of science students and secondary school mathematics teachers. The only prerequisite is a solid command of pre-calculus mathematics.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0387942807
• ISBN13: 9780387942803
• Release Date: September 1994
• Publisher: Springer
• Length: 265 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Nice Read overall

Not a perfect book by any stretch, but I am not the type of reader who has to agree with a book to enjoy it. Many histories of mathematics books are rife with anti-god, anti-religion references, this is a balance to that. Admittedly a little pushy the other way, but not a bad read.

Nice antidote to E. T. Bell

On the math side of things, this book provides a concise overview of the history of mathematics. Actually, I found it to be a bit "too concise" - I think that a college professor would be hard-pressed to stretch the book out over a one-semester "History of Mathematics" course. The content of the book is clearly designed for liberal arts students interested in the "History of Mathematics", rather than for mathematics students interested in the "Mathematics of History". In an appendix at the end of the book the author includes a number of sample assignments, tests and exams which I personally found rather useful. Yes, I agree with previous reviewers that the author pushes his Christian views on the reader, but I must say that I found it a refreshing change to the tiresome and offensive anti-Christian propaganda found in E. T. Bell's book "Men of Mathematics", in which Blaise Pascal is made out to be a mentally ill religious lunatic, while Augustin-Louis Cauchy is made out to be a harsh and bigoted religious fanatic!