The heritage of Thales

About “The heritage of Thales”

This textbook explores the history, philosophy, and foundations of mathematics. It aims to present unique mathematical concepts in a historical and philosophical context, targeting undergraduate mathematics students as well as others with a strong interest in the subject. The book follows a chronological approach, beginning around 1800 BC and ending around 1800 AD, then covering selected foundational topics from the 19th and 20th centuries. It includes discussions on the Renaissance method for solving cubic and quartic equations, as well as proofs that certain ancient geometric problems, like trisecting an angle, cannot be solved with ruler and compass. The second part covers Godel's incompleteness theorem and introduces category theory. The authors offer fresh perspectives on these topics. The book was published in 1995 as a hardcover edition.