Lengths, Widths, Surfaces

A Portrait of Old Babylonian Algebra and Its Kin

Jens Høyrup (Autor)

Buch | Hardcover

462 Seiten

2002
Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
978-0-387-95303-8 (ISBN)

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In this examination of the Babylonian cuneiform "algebra" texts, based on a detailed investigation of the terminology and discursive organization of the texts, Jens Høyrup proposes that the traditional interpretation must be rejected. The texts turn out to speak not of pure numbers, but of the dimensions and areas of rectangles and other measurable geometrical magnitudes, often serving as representatives of other magnitudes (prices, workdays, etc...), much as pure numbers represent concrete magnitudes in modern applied algebra. Moreover, the geometrical procedures are seen to be reasoned to the same extent as the solutions of modern equation algebra, though not built on any explicit deductive structure.

I Introduction.- II A New Reading.- III Select Textual Examples.- IV Methods.- V Further “Algebraic” Texts.- VI Quasi-Algebraic Geometry.- VII Old Babylonian “Algebra”: A Global Characterization.- VIII The Historical Framework.- IX The “Finer Structure” of the Old Babylonian Corpus.- X The Origin and Transformations of Old Babylonian Algebra.- XI Repercussions and Influences.- Abbreviations and Bibliography.- Index of Tablets.- Index of Akkadian and Sumerian Terms and Key Phrases.- Name Index.

Erscheint lt. Verlag	2.1.2002
Reihe/Serie	Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences
Zusatzinfo	36 Illustrations, black and white; XIV, 462 p. 36 illus.
Verlagsort	New York, NY
Sprache	englisch
Maße	156 x 234 mm
Themenwelt	Geisteswissenschaften ► Geschichte
	Mathematik / Informatik ► Mathematik ► Allgemeines / Lexika
	Mathematik / Informatik ► Mathematik ► Algebra
	Mathematik / Informatik ► Mathematik ► Geschichte der Mathematik
	Naturwissenschaften
ISBN-10	0-387-95303-5 / 0387953035
ISBN-13	978-0-387-95303-8 / 9780387953038
Zustand	Neuware