In the early 1980s, I initiated a mathematical expedition as a mature student at the University of Erlangen. During that time, obtaining an initial degree in Germany was akin to acquiring a master\u2019s degree, which included a dissertation. In mathematics, this credential was known as a diploma, generally necessitating eight to nine semesters\u2014or four to four and a half years\u2014of intensive study. Many students took additional time to achieve it. The core courses lasted four semesters, covering analysis and algebra, with double lectures on alternate days. These lectures required concentrated attention, producing up to ten pages of notes per session, and included weekly exercise sheets discussed during afternoon meetings. While I enjoyed analysis, algebra was less appealing to me.<\/p>\n
A requirement to select a subsidiary subject led me to philosophy, coinciding with the period of Professor Christian Thiel, where I deeply engaged with the history and philosophy of science\u2014a reflection of my genuine interest in the historical contexts surrounding mathematics. After five semesters, I shifted my academic focus towards a master’s in philosophy, with history and English as subsidiary subjects, steering my path toward a future as a writer on the topic.<\/p>\n
My fascination with mathematics began well before university; as a teenager, I excelled in both O-level and A-level mathematics, fostering a passion for calculus. I notably achieved 102% on one derivatives exam, a rare success considering my challenges in exam situations due to AD(H)S. Despite often surpassing my peers in knowledge, I frequently struggled to demonstrate this in testing environments.<\/p>\n
History had always intrigued me, inspired by my historian father, who introduced me to Eric Temple Bell’s “Men of Mathematics.” Although the book was engaging and encouraging, its historical precision was lacking, as pointed out by historian Ivor Grattan-Guiness. Still, this work sparked a lasting enthusiasm that grew to encompass both the history and philosophy of science, further inspired by writings like Stephen Korner\u2019s “Philosophy of Mathematics” and Karl Popper\u2019s “Conjectures and Refutations.”<\/p>\n
Reflecting on Eric Temple Bell, my initial encounter with the history of calculus unveiled the simultaneous development by Newton and Leibniz, prompting me to investigate the renowned priority dispute that ensued. Literature regarding the ‘calculus wars,’ such as A. Rupert Hall’s and Jason Bardi’s focused works, captivated my interest. However, the notion that calculus emerged solely from Newton and Leibniz appeared to me as a considerable oversimplification.<\/p>\n
In reality, calculus was a joint evolution spanning millennia, with numerous contributions, its progress accelerating in the seventeenth century and later unified by Newton and Leibniz. They laid a foundation, though incomplete, for future mathematicians to expand upon.<\/p>\n
Having often criticized the restricted attribution of calculus\u2019 origins, I previously detailed this evolution in a guest blog entry. Now, I seek to examine it thoroughly, shedding light on the two-thousand-year history of this domain that Newton and Leibniz may, perhaps, have received unwarranted credit for initiating.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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