With a few notable exceptions, pure mathematics in Britain at the beginning of the nineteenth century was mainly a recreation for amateurs. Drawing on primary sources, John Heard provides an engaging account of the process by which it rose to become an academic discipline of repute which by the First World War was led by G. H. Hardy, and supported by the internationally-respected London Mathematical Society. In chronicling that rise, this book describes key contributions and the social environment in which mathematicians operated, using contemporary commentary where appropriate. No mathematical knowledge is required, and readers with a wide range of interests and backgrounds will find much to enjoy here. The material is presented from an impartial point of view, and provides full references to help any researchers who want to dig deeper into the original sources. The result is a unique insight into the world of Victorian mathematics and science.
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'It is really interesting to read how long the Leibniz-Newton dispute had serious consequences, how ideas changed in about seventy years, and the important role that was played by the LMS in this process.' Adhemar Bultheel, European Mathematical Society ' the narrow focus of this slender volume makes it worth reading the book provides novices with a sound introduction to major figures, and it will challenge the thinking of experienced academics.' A. K. Ackerberg-Hastings, Choice 'The author has provided an excellent and well-researched account of an episode in the history of mathematics that every pure mathematician can appreciate and should be able to relate to.' James J. Tattersall, MathSciNet 'Anyone who is interested in British mathematics will need it. The researcher will see it as valuable contribution. Written by a historian of science, to each chapter is attached a series of meticulous notes with details of sources, a list unavailable elsewhere.' Tony Crilly, The Mathematical Gazette
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Traces the development of pure mathematics during the long nineteenth century in Britain, with extensive references and primary sources.
Acknowledgements; Notes for the reader;
1. Setting the scene;
2. The legacy of Newton;
3. The London Mathematical Society;
4. The pure mathematician as hero;
5. Mathematicians in an aethereal world;
6. Apologias for pure mathematicians;
7. Embracing beauty;
8. Epilogue; Bibliography; Index.
John Heard is an independent researcher with a doctorate in the history of science from Imperial College London. He is also a member of the British Society for the History of Science, the British Society for the History of Mathematics, and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
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