The Development of Newtonian Calculus in Britain, 1700–1800

This book examines how calculus developed in Britain during the century following Newton.

Niccolò Guicciardini (Author)

9780521524841, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 13 November 2003

244 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.4 cm, 0.36 kg

"On the whole the author's case is well argued and the level of scholarship is high....will be of value to anyone interested in the history and philosophy of mathematics in the eighteenth century." Douglas Jesseph, Philosophy of Science

This book examines the development of calculus in Britain during the century following Newton. It is usually maintained that this was a period of decline in British mathematics. However, the author's research has shown that the methods used by researchers of the period yielded considerable success in laying the foundations and investigating the applications of the calculus. Even when 'decline' was at its worst point, in mid-century, the foundations of the reform, which were to change the direction and nature of the mathematics community, were being laid. The book considers the importance of the work of mathematicians such as Isaac Newton, Roger Cotes, Brook Taylor, James Stirling, Abraham de Moivre, Colin Maclaurin, Thomas Bayes, John Landen and Edward Waring. It will be useful to science historians and philosophers studying the period, and to students of British history studying the teaching of mathematics.

Introduction
Overture: Newton's published work on the calculus of fluxions
Part I. The Early Period: 1. The diffusion of the calculus (1700–1730)
2. Developments in the calculus of fluxions (1714–1733)
3. The controversy on the foundations of the calculus (1734–1742)
Part II. The Middle Period: 4. The textbooks on fluxions (1736–1758)
5. Some applications of the calculus (1740–1743)
6. The analytic art (1755–1785)
Part III. The Reform: 7. Scotland (1785–1809)
8. The Military Schools (1773–1819)
9. Cambridge and Dublin (1790–1820)
10. Tables
Endnotes
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: History of science [PDX], Calculus of variations [PBKQ], Philosophy of mathematics [PBB], History of ideas [JFCX]