Revolutions in Mathematics: Difference between revisions

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==Contents==

The book was reviewed by Pierre Kerszberg for ''[[Mathematical Reviews]]'' and by [[Michael S. Mahoney]] for ''[[American Mathematical Monthly]]''. Mahoney says "The title should have a question mark." He sets the context by referring to [[paradigm shift]]s that characterize scientific revolutions as described by [[Thomas Kuhn]] in his book ''[[The Structure of Scientific Revolutions]]''. According to Michael Crowe in chapter one, revolutions never occur in mathematics. Mahoney explains how mathematics grows upon itself and does not discard earlier gains in understanding with new ones, such as happens in biology, physics, or other sciences. A nuanced version of revolution in mathematics is described by Caroline Dunmore who sees change at the level of "meta-mathematical values of the community that define the telos and methods of the subject, and encapsulate general beliefs about its value." On the other hand, reaction to innovation in mathematics is noted, resulting in "clashes of intellectual and social values".

 

* Gillies, Donald (1992) ''Revolutions in Mathematics'', Oxford Science Publications, The Clarendon Press, [[Oxford University Press]].

* Michael S. Mahoney (1994) "Review of ''Revolutions in Mathematics''", [[American Mathematical Monthly]] 101(3):283–7.

 

[[Category:Mathematics books]]

[[Category:History of mathematics]]

[[Category:Logic literature]]