Research Catalog

Title

Mathematics and the divine : a historical study / edited by T. Koetsier and L. Bergmans.

Publication

Amsterdam ; Boston : Elsevier, 2005.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Koetsier, T.
• Bergmans, L. (Luc)

Description

xiii, 701 p. : ill. (some col.); 25 cm.

Summary

Mathematics and the Divine seem to correspond to diametrically opposed tendencies of the human mind. Does the mathematician not seek what is precisely defined, and do the objects intended by the mystic and the theologian not lie beyond definition? Is mathematics not Man's search for a measure, and isnt the Divine that which is immeasurable ? The present book shows that the domains of mathematics and the Divine, which may seem so radically separated, have throughout history and across cultures, proved to be intimately related. Religious activities such as the building of temples, the telling of ritual stories or the drawing of enigmatic figures all display distinct mathematical features. Major philosophical systems dealing with the Absolute and theological speculations focussing on our knowledge of the Ultimate have been based on or inspired by mathematics. A series of chapters by an international team of experts highlighting key figures, schools and trains of thought is presented here. Chinese number mysticism, the views of Pythagoras and Plato and their followers, Nicholas of Cusa's theological geometry, Spinozism and intuitionism as a philosophy of mathematics are treated side by side among many other themes in an attempt at creating a global view on the relation of mathematics and Mans quest for the Absolute in the course of history. Mathematics and man's quest for the Absolute A selective history highlighting key figures, schools and trains of thought An international team of historians presenting specific new findings as well as general overviews Confronting and uniting otherwise compartmentalized information.

Subject

• Mathematics > History
• Religion and science > History
• Wiskunde
• Godsdienst
• Mathématiques > Histoire
• Religion et sciences > Histoire

Genre/Form

History

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

• Introduction -- 1.Ho Peng-Yoke, Chinese Number Mysticism -- 2.Kim Plofker, Derivation and Revelation: the Legitimacy of Mathematical Models in Indian Cosmology -- 3.Reviel Netz, The Pythagoreans -- 4.Ian Mueller, Mathematics and the Divine in Plato -- 5.Jean-Franois Matti, Nicomachus of Gerasa and the Divine Arithmetical Ladder -- 6.Dominic J. O'Meara, Geometry and the Divine in Proclus -- 7.Marie-Pierre Terrien, Religious Architecture and Mathematics during Late Antiquity -- 8.David A. King, The Sacred Geography of Islam -- 9.Faith Wallis, 'Number Mystique' in early medieval computus texts -- 10.Maurice-Ruben Hayoun, Is the Divine Universe Divisible -- 11.Charles Lohr, Mathematics and the Divine: Ramon Lull -- 12.Hugue Garcia, Christian Gnosis -- 13.Edith Dudley Sylla, Swester Katrei and Gregory of Rimini: Angels, God and Mathematics in the Fourteenth Century -- 14.Jean-Michel Counet, Mathematics and the Divine in Nicholas of Cusa --^
• 15.Teun Koetsier and Karin Reich, Michael Stifel and his Numerology -- 16.Ivo Schneider, Between Rosicrucians and Kabbala -- the Mathematics of the Biblical Numbers of Johannes Faulhaber -- 17.Eberhard Knobloch, Mathematics and the Divine: Athanasius Kircher -- 18.Volker R. Remmert, Galileo, God and Mathematics -- 19.Andr Charrak, The Mathematical Model of Creation According to Kepler -- 20.Jean-Marie Nicolle, The Mathematical Analogy in the Proof of God's Existence by Descartes -- 21.Donald Adamson, Pascal's Views on Mathematics and the Divine -- 22.Ger Harmsen, Spinoza and the Geometrical Method of Proof -- 23.Philip Beeley and Siegmund Probst, John Wallis (1616-1703): Mathematician and Divine -- 24.Kees de Pater, Newton and the Ocean of Truth -- 25.Herbert Breger, Leibniz: Mathematics and the Divine -- 26.Wolfgang Breidert, Berkeley's Defence of the Infinite God in Contrast to the Infinite in Mathematics -- 27.Ruediger Thiele, Leonhard Euler and the Divine --^
• 28.Ruediger Thiele, Georg Cantor and the Divine -- 29.Luc Bergmans, Gerrit Mannoury and his Fellow Significians on Mathematics and Mysticism -- 30.Teun Koetsier, Arthur Schopenhauer and L. E. J. Brouwer: A Comparison -- 31.Sergei S. Demidov and Charles E. Ford, On the Road to a Unified View: Priest Pavel Florensky -- Theologian, Philosopher and Scientist -- 32.Franois De Gandt, Husserl and Impossible Numbers: a Sceptical Experience -- 33.Bruno Pinchard, Symbol and Space According to Ren Gunon -- 34.Teun Koetsier, Eddington: Science and the Unseen World -- 35.Albert van der Schoot, The Divined Proportion.

ISBN

• 0444503285 (hbk.)
• 9780444503282 (hbk.)

OCLC

• 56695893
• SCSB-12411659

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library