出版社: Scientific American / Farrar, Straus and Giroux
副标题: How a Dangerous Mathematical Theory Shaped the Modern World
出版年: 2014-4-8
页数: 368
定价: USD 27.00
装帧: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780374176815
内容简介 · · · · · ·
Pulsing with drama and excitement, Infinitesimal celebrates the spirit of discovery, innovation, and intellectual achievement-and it will forever change the way you look at a simple line.
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On August 10, 1632, five men in flowing black robes convened in a somber Roman palazzo to pass judgment on a deceptively simple proposition: that a continuous line is composed of distinct an...
Pulsing with drama and excitement, Infinitesimal celebrates the spirit of discovery, innovation, and intellectual achievement-and it will forever change the way you look at a simple line.
.
On August 10, 1632, five men in flowing black robes convened in a somber Roman palazzo to pass judgment on a deceptively simple proposition: that a continuous line is composed of distinct and infinitely tiny parts. With the stroke of a pen the Jesuit fathers banned the doctrine of infinitesimals, announcing that it could never be taught or even mentioned. The concept was deemed dangerous and subversive, a threat to the belief that the world was an orderly place, governed by a strict and unchanging set of rules. If infinitesimals were ever accepted, the Jesuits feared, the entire world would be plunged into chaos.
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In Infinitesimal, the award-winning historian Amir Alexander exposes the deep-seated reasons behind the rulings of the Jesuits and shows how the doctrine persisted, becoming the foundation of calculus and much of modern mathematics and technology. Indeed, not everyone agreed with the Jesuits. Philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians across Europe embraced infinitesimals as the key to scientific progress, freedom of thought, and a more tolerant society. As Alexander reveals, it wasn't long before the two camps set off on a war that pitted Europe's forces of hierarchy and order against those of pluralism and change.
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The story takes us from the bloody battlefields of Europe's religious wars and the English Civil War and into the lives of the greatest mathematicians and philosophers of the day, including Galileo and Isaac Newton, Cardinal Bellarmine and Thomas Hobbes, and Christopher Clavius and John Wallis. In Italy, the defeat of the infinitely small signaled an end to that land's reign as the cultural heart of Europe, and in England, the triumph of infinitesimals helped launch the island nation on a course that would make it the world's first modern state.
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From the imperial cities of Germany to the green hills of Surrey, from the papal palace in Rome to the halls of the Royal Society of London, Alexander demonstrates how a disagreement over a mathematical concept became a contest over the heavens and the earth. The legitimacy of popes and kings, as well as our beliefs in human liberty and progressive science, were at stake-the soul of the modern world hinged on the infinitesimal.
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【From Booklist】
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*Starred Review* Convinced that it opened the Royal Road through the mathematical thicket, seventeenth-century mathematician Evangelista Torricelli trumpeted the method of indivisibles. Yet in recounting how that method originated, provoked vigorous resistance, and finally prevailed, Alexander tells a story with implications far beyond mathematics. Premised on the definition of a line as a composite of countless infinitesimally small elements, the method of indivisibles opened the door to calculus. But it also subverted Aristotelian philosophical principles, so alarming defenders of the status quo. Alexander compellingly chronicles the clashes as Galileo squares off with Pope Urban VIII in Italy, and royalist Thomas Hobbes crosses swords with puritan John Wallis in England. Beyond what it teaches about mathematics, the intellectual combat illuminates the tempestuous birth of modernity. Alexander credits the champions of indivisibles with helping to usher in an era of progressive tolerance and democracy, and he indicts their foes as hidebound authoritarians. But as readers explore the personalities and life trajectories of the combatants, they will recognize complexities that do not fit into Alexander’s overall script: Bonaventura Cavalieri (one of the discoverers of indivisibles) was a cautious monk, while RenéDescartes (the father of modern philosophy) rejected the new mathematics. A bracing reminder of the human drama behind mathematical formulas.
--Bryce Christensen
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【Review】
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“You probably don't think of the development of calculus as ripe material for a political thriller, but Amir Alexander has given us just that in Infinitesimal.”
―Jordan Ellenberg, The Wall Street Journal
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“Packed with vivid detail and founded on solid scholarship, [Infinitesimal] is both a rich history and a gripping page turner.”
―Jennifer Ouellette, The New York Times Book Review
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“[A] finely detailed, dramatic story.”
―John Allen Paulos, The New York Times
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“Alexander pulls off the impressive feat of putting a subtle mathematical concept centre stage in a ripping historical narrative . . . this is a complex story told with skill and verve, and overall Alexander does an excellent job . . . There is much in this fascinating book.”
―Times Higher Education
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“A triumph.”
―Nature
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“Every page of this book displays Alexander's passionate love of the history of mathematics. He helps readers refigure problems from over the centuries with him, creating pleasurable excursions through Euclid, Archimedes, Galileo, Cavalieri, Torricelli, Hobbes, and Wallis while explaining how seemingly timeless and abstract problems were deeply rooted in different worldviews. Infinitesimal captures beautifully a world on the cusp of inventing calculus but not quite there, struggling with what might be lost in the process of rendering mathematics less certain and familiar.”
―Paula E. Findlen, The Chronicle of Higher Education
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“With a sure hand, Mr. Alexander links mathematical principles to seminal events in Western cultural history, and has produced a vibrant account of a disputatious era of human thought, propelled in no small part by the smallest part there is.”
―Alan Hirshfeld, The Wall Street Journal
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“Infinitesimal is a gripping and thorough history of the ultimate triumph of [a] mathematical tool . . . If you are fascinated by numbers, Infinitesimal will inspire you to dig deeper into the implications of the philosophy of mathematics and of knowledge.”
―New Scientist
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“Brilliantly documented . . . Alexander shines . . . the story of the infinitesimals is fascinating.”
―Owen Gingerich, The American Scholar
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“Back in the 17th century, the unorthodox idea [of infinitesimals], which dared to suggest the universe was an imperfect place full of mathematical paradoxes, was considered dangerous and even heretical . . . Alexander puts readers in the middle of European intellectuals' public and widespread battles over the theory, filling the book's pages with both formulas and juicy character development.”
―Bill Andrews, Discover
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“In Infinitesimal: How a Dangerous Mathematical Theory Shaped the Modern World, Amir Alexander successfully weaves a gripping narrative of the historical struggle over the seemingly innocuous topic of infinitesimals. He does an excellent job exploring the links between the contrasting religious and political motivations that lead to acceptance or refusal of the mathematical theory, skillfully breathing life into a potentially dry subject. Infinitesimal will certainly leave its readers with a newfound appreciation for the simple line, occasion for such controversy in the emergence of modern Europe.”
―Emilie Robert Wong, The Harvard Book Review
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“Fluent and richly informative”
―Jonathan Rée, Literary Review (UK)
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“Alexander tells this story of intellectual strife with the high drama and thrilling tension it deserves, weaving a history of mathematics through the social and religious upheavals that marked much of the era . . .The author navigates even the most abstract mathematical concepts as deftly as he does the layered social history, and the result is a book about math that is actually fun to read. A fast-paced history of the singular idea that shaped a multitude of modern achievements.”
―Kirkus (starred review)
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“[Infinitesimal] gives readers insight into a real-world Da Vinci Code–like intrigue with this look at the history of a simple, yet pivotal, mathematical concept . . . Alexander explores [a] war of ideas in the context of a world seething with political and social unrest. This in-depth history offers a unique view into the mathematical idea that became the foundation of our open, modern world.”
―Publishers Weekly
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“A bracing reminder of the human drama behind mathematical formulas.”
―Bryce Christensen, Booklist
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“A gripping account of the power of a mathematical idea to change the world. Amir Alexander writes with elegance and verve about how passion, politics, and the pursuit of knowledge collided in the arena of mathematics to shape the face of modernity. A page-turner full of fascinating stories about remarkable individuals and ideas, Infinitesimal will help you understand the world at a deeper level.”
―Edward Frenkel, Professor of Mathematics, University of California, Berkeley, and author of Love and Math
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“In this fascinating book, Amir Alexander vividly re-creates a wonderfully strange chapter of scientific history, when fine-grained arguments about the foundations of mathematical analysis were literally matters of life and death, and fanatical Jesuits and English philosophers battled over the nature of geometry, with the fate of their societies hanging in the balance. You will never look at calculus the same way again.”
―Jordan Ellenberg, Professor of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and author of How Not to Be Wrong
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“You may find it hard to believe that illustrious mathematicians, philosophers, and religious thinkers would engage in a bitter dispute over infinitely small quantities. Yet this is precisely what happened in the seventeenth century. In Infinitesimal, Amir Alexander puts this fascinating battle in historical and intellectual context.”
―Mario Livio, astrophysicist, Space Telescope Science Institute, and author of Brilliant Blunders
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“With considerable wit and unusual energy, Amir Alexander charts the great debate about whether mathematics could be reduced to a rigorous pattern of logical and orderly deductions or whether, instead, it could be an open-ended and exciting endeavor to explore the world's mysteries. Infinitesimal shows why the lessons of mathematics count so much in the modern world.”
―Simon Schaffer, Professor of the History of Science, University of Cambridge
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“In Infinitesimal, Amir Alexander offers a new reading of the beginning of the modern period in which mathematics plays a starring role. He brings to life the protagonists of the battle over infinitesimals as if they were our contemporaries, while preserving historical authenticity. The result is a seamless synthesis of cultural history and storytelling in which mathematical concepts and personalities emerge in parallel. The history of mathematics has rarely been so readable.”
―Michael Harris, Professor of Mathematics, Columbia University and Université Paris Diderot
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“We thought we knew the whole story: Copernicus, Galileo, the sun in the center, the Church rushing to condemn. Now this remarkable book puts the deeply subversive doctrine of atomism and its accompanying mathematics at the heart of modern science.”
―Margaret C. Jacob, Distinguished Professor of History, University of California, Los Angeles
作者简介 · · · · · ·
Amir Alexander teaches history at UCLA. He is the author of Geometrical Landscapes and Duel at Dawn. His work has been featured in Nature, The Guardian, and other publications. He lives in Los Angeles, California.
原文摘录 · · · · · ·
Infinitesimal的书评 · · · · · · ( 全部 16 条 )
无穷小:一个塑造了现代社会的危险数学概念
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2019年高考遇上了端午佳节,而后又遇到了超难的数学。高考数学霸占了微博热搜前三名。考生们纷纷表示考完数学后哭了。不得不感叹,数学一直以来就是困扰众多考生的重大难题。事实上,求解全国卷三的云与维纳斯的身高都不及无穷小理论背后的故事多。 当逻辑严密的数学遇上推测的... (展开)当你觉得学习数学痛苦时,看看这本书吧
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不知道为什么这本翻译过来的新书在豆瓣的评分如此低,但我克服了自己霍布斯一般严格排他的思维习惯,用沃利斯实验科学的包容性思维接受了这一相对较低的评分,毕竟,对于绝大多数国人来说,数学绝对是从孩提时代就开始的“梦魇”。 最精彩的是后半部分内容,无穷小量逐渐发展成... (展开)这个在数学史上一度被视为禁忌和魔鬼的概念,却是现代科技的基础
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壹 庄子说过这样一句话:一尺之棰,日取其半,万世不竭。无独有偶,在遥远的古希腊,也有类似的故事,比如,哲学家芝诺曾经提出过一个著名的“飞矢不动”悖论。芝诺说,一支箭射出之后,它在飞行的每一个短暂瞬间,都处于既非静止又非运动的状态,因此,这支箭并没有发生移动。... (展开)无穷小:一个被屡屡打压的数学悖论,却改变了意大利和英国的命运
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古代欧洲,数学经历了漫长的发展阶段,很多理论扛过了基督教的禁锢与打压,才存续至今,为现代人所熟悉,其中的无穷小学说,就是典型的实例。 1632年的一个夏日,5个身穿黑色长袍的教士,聚集在台伯河左岸的一座宫殿里,他们即将召开一个非常重要的会议,对当时意大利有名的数学... (展开)微积分令人头秃,但是想毁灭微积分这个学科?我劝你善良
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著名意大利籍科学家伽利略,在25岁时曾经当众挑战过权威。 那时的社会,都推崇古希腊哲学家亚里士多德,很多人把他的话奉为真理。亚里士多德有一个著名理论:“一个10磅重的铁球,和一个1磅重的铁球,同时从同一地点下落,10磅重的会先着地。 ” 伽利略在多次试验后,却给出了... (展开)> 更多书评 16篇
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订阅关于Infinitesimal的评论:
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0 有用 花袭人出来玩啊 2018-05-01 23:18:15
读完啦。读了一个月。16-17世纪欧洲的数学家神学家们就“无穷小”这个概念而展开的斗争。这是一本对我来说完全“无用”的书。不容易读,读完有种满足感。
0 有用 祭天金人 2022-03-14 08:48:12
写的很一般。无穷小分几大块:维度、无穷级数和微积分。无穷小的高潮历史在牛顿等人建立微积分以后关于微积分基础的争论,在柯西等人对极限的严格定义,在康托尔关于无穷和集合论的理论及其争议。本书写的只是无穷小的“前戏”,东拉西扯别的历史写了一大堆。关于伽利略及其周边关于无穷小的研究来自于直观却缺乏数学基础,受到耶稣会反对完全无可厚非,至于霍布斯和Wallis的争论基本上是鸡同鸭讲,因为Wallis是无穷级... 写的很一般。无穷小分几大块:维度、无穷级数和微积分。无穷小的高潮历史在牛顿等人建立微积分以后关于微积分基础的争论,在柯西等人对极限的严格定义,在康托尔关于无穷和集合论的理论及其争议。本书写的只是无穷小的“前戏”,东拉西扯别的历史写了一大堆。关于伽利略及其周边关于无穷小的研究来自于直观却缺乏数学基础,受到耶稣会反对完全无可厚非,至于霍布斯和Wallis的争论基本上是鸡同鸭讲,因为Wallis是无穷级数和微积分的先驱人物,而霍布斯根本算不得一个数学家,对于数学的讨论基本上处于喊口号的水平。作者对于数学历史的宏观把握能力不足,而关于数学的认识水平也很一般,所以找了非常奇怪的关注点。就连设计封面的师傅都知道无穷小要和牛顿、笛卡尔等人联系起来,但是作者完全没有涉及到笛卡尔和牛顿以及他们之后的历史。 (展开)
0 有用 根本没人 2019-12-08 17:40:10
Amir讲故事可真漂亮,但是确实没法面面俱到,讨论到infini的形而上学问题的时候,涉及的太少了。和雅克布克莱因完全是两种思路。
0 有用 AyNoite 2019-10-02 16:51:56
本以为会讲到极限的严格定义,至少讲到牛顿,没想到讲到霍布斯与沃利斯的争论就结束了。意大利数学的衰落和英国的崛起,完美秩序之梦的破灭与实验归纳的胜利,似乎从又一个角度讲了自上而下的科学是如何被自下而上的科学打败的。对我来说还是太文科了没耐心一字不差地看过去,希望为打开《利维坦与空气泵》做一个好的铺垫……
0 有用 SingInNorth 2020-04-22 14:39:01
Just a warm-over of the history of science and calculus. A summarizing note for the religious history of Europe; a crude intro to Hobbes’ work and some key notions for math approaches. Great command o... Just a warm-over of the history of science and calculus. A summarizing note for the religious history of Europe; a crude intro to Hobbes’ work and some key notions for math approaches. Great command of language and pacing, though trapped in repetition and paraphrasing sometimes. Recommended for those knowing nothing about Middle Ages and science. (展开)
0 有用 祭天金人 2022-03-14 08:48:12
写的很一般。无穷小分几大块:维度、无穷级数和微积分。无穷小的高潮历史在牛顿等人建立微积分以后关于微积分基础的争论,在柯西等人对极限的严格定义,在康托尔关于无穷和集合论的理论及其争议。本书写的只是无穷小的“前戏”,东拉西扯别的历史写了一大堆。关于伽利略及其周边关于无穷小的研究来自于直观却缺乏数学基础,受到耶稣会反对完全无可厚非,至于霍布斯和Wallis的争论基本上是鸡同鸭讲,因为Wallis是无穷级... 写的很一般。无穷小分几大块:维度、无穷级数和微积分。无穷小的高潮历史在牛顿等人建立微积分以后关于微积分基础的争论,在柯西等人对极限的严格定义,在康托尔关于无穷和集合论的理论及其争议。本书写的只是无穷小的“前戏”,东拉西扯别的历史写了一大堆。关于伽利略及其周边关于无穷小的研究来自于直观却缺乏数学基础,受到耶稣会反对完全无可厚非,至于霍布斯和Wallis的争论基本上是鸡同鸭讲,因为Wallis是无穷级数和微积分的先驱人物,而霍布斯根本算不得一个数学家,对于数学的讨论基本上处于喊口号的水平。作者对于数学历史的宏观把握能力不足,而关于数学的认识水平也很一般,所以找了非常奇怪的关注点。就连设计封面的师傅都知道无穷小要和牛顿、笛卡尔等人联系起来,但是作者完全没有涉及到笛卡尔和牛顿以及他们之后的历史。 (展开)
0 有用 SingInNorth 2020-04-22 14:39:01
Just a warm-over of the history of science and calculus. A summarizing note for the religious history of Europe; a crude intro to Hobbes’ work and some key notions for math approaches. Great command o... Just a warm-over of the history of science and calculus. A summarizing note for the religious history of Europe; a crude intro to Hobbes’ work and some key notions for math approaches. Great command of language and pacing, though trapped in repetition and paraphrasing sometimes. Recommended for those knowing nothing about Middle Ages and science. (展开)
0 有用 根本没人 2019-12-08 17:40:10
Amir讲故事可真漂亮,但是确实没法面面俱到,讨论到infini的形而上学问题的时候,涉及的太少了。和雅克布克莱因完全是两种思路。
0 有用 AyNoite 2019-10-02 16:51:56
本以为会讲到极限的严格定义,至少讲到牛顿,没想到讲到霍布斯与沃利斯的争论就结束了。意大利数学的衰落和英国的崛起,完美秩序之梦的破灭与实验归纳的胜利,似乎从又一个角度讲了自上而下的科学是如何被自下而上的科学打败的。对我来说还是太文科了没耐心一字不差地看过去,希望为打开《利维坦与空气泵》做一个好的铺垫……
0 有用 花袭人出来玩啊 2018-05-01 23:18:15
读完啦。读了一个月。16-17世纪欧洲的数学家神学家们就“无穷小”这个概念而展开的斗争。这是一本对我来说完全“无用”的书。不容易读,读完有种满足感。