Reading the Principia: The Debate on Newton's Mathematical Methods for Natural Philosophy from 1687 to 1736

by Niccolò Guicciardini

Overview

Isaac Newton's Principia is considered one of the masterpieces in the history of science. The mathematical methods employed by Newton in the Principia stimulated much debate among his contemporaries, especially Leibniz, Huygens, Bernoulli and Euler, who debated their merits and drawbacks. Among the questions they asked were: How should natural philosophy be mathematized?; Is it legitimate to use uninterpreted symbols?; Is it possible to depart from the established Archimedean or Galilean/Huygenian tradition of geometrizing nature?; What is the value of elegance and conciseness?; What is the relation between Newton's geometrical methods and the calculus? This book explains how Newton addressed these issues, taking into consideration the values that directed the research of Newton and his contemporaries. This book will be of interest to researchers and advanced students in departments of history of science, philosophy of science, physics, mathematics and astronomy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521544030
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	10/30/2003
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	292
Product dimensions:	7.44(w) x 9.69(h) x 0.63(d)

About the Author

Niccolò Guicciardini holds degrees in physics and philosophy awarded by the Università degli Studi di Milano. His Ph.D. thesis in the history of mathematics was written under the supervision of Ivor Grattan-Guinness at Middlesex Polytechnic and was published by Cambridge University Press in 1989 as The Development of Newtonian Calculus in Britain, 1700–1800. He is Co-Editor in Chief of Historia Mathematica and is a recipient of the Sarton Medal for 2011–2012, awarded by the University of Ghent, Belgium.

Table of Contents

1. Purpose of this book; Part I. Newton's Methods: 2. Newton's methods of series and fluxions; 3. The mathematical methods of the Principia; Part II. Three Readers: 4. Newton: between tradition and innovation; 5. Huygens: the Principia and proportion theory; 6. Leibniz: not equivalent in practice; Part III. Two Schools: 7. Britain: in the wake of the Principia; 8. Basel: challenging the Principia; 9. Conclusion: Newtonians, Leibnizians and Eulerians; References.

Editorial Reviews

'This is a clearly written and informative work that brings alive and throws new light on a compelling episode … It is an attractive book and accessible to a broad constituency.' June Barrow-Green, BSHM Newsletter

From a translation of an article appeared in Il Sole-24 Ore: 'Guicciardini offers an original key to the reading of the Principia, which is the mature result of the research of a scholar, better known abroad than in Italy. He is among the greatest authorities in his field.' Umberto Bottazzini, Il Sole-24 Ore

'This reviewer enjoyed reading Reading the Principia.' Applied Mechanics

'The book is a first-rate contribution to the history of science.' E. Knobloch, Zentralblatt MATH

From the Publisher