What Is Mathematics?
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*Praise for the previous edition:
"Without doubt, the work will have great influence. It should be in the hands of everyone, professional or otherwise, who is interested in scientific thinking."--The New York Times
"Should prove a source of great pleasure and satisfaction."--Journal of Applied Physics
"Succeeds brilliantly in conveying the intellectual excitement of mathematical inquiry and in communicating the essential ideas and methods."Journal of Philosophy
"It is a work of high perfection, whether judged by aesthetic, pedagogical or scientific standards. It is astonishing to what extent What is Mathematics? has succeeded in making clear by means of the simplest examples all the fundamental ideas and methods which we mathematicians consider the life blood of our science."--Herman Weyl
New York Times
"Without doubt, the work will have great influence. It should be in the hands of everyone, professional or otherwise, who is interested in scientific thinking."
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Number is the basis of modern mathematics. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Number is the basis of modern mathematics. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic overview of pure mathematics,
By A Customer
This review is from: What Is Mathematics?: An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods (Oxford paperbacks) (Paperback)
A wide-ranging overview of pure mathematics, first published in the 1940s, now re-issued and brought up to date with an additional chapter by Ian Stewart, this book is at the level of a capable student at the higher end of high school mathematics (A-level in the UK) or the beginning of a mathematics degree.The scope of this book is awesome, covering number theory, geometry, topology, calculus, and much more. The chapter on projective geometry is a real treat, as it explores a beautiful topic that has dropped out of the modern maths syllabus. The only noticeable omission is group theory, which gets only a passing mention. The style is clear, although the pace is rapid, and the reader is expected to fill in some details. There is an emphasis throughout on rigour - where this is relaxed for the sake of brevity, this is clearly signalled. An appendix of problems and exercises (without answers) encourages further exploration of each topic. A true classic and an enhancement to any mathematician's bookshelf.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Timeless.,
By Palle E T Jorgensen "Palle Jorgensen" (Iowa City, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
This review is from: What Is Mathematics?: An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods (Oxford paperbacks) (Paperback)
Einstein writes..."Easily understandable." And Herman Weyl,..."It is a work of high perfection." It is both for beginners and for scholars. The first edition by Courant and Robbins, has been revised, with love and care, by Ian Stewart. Of the sciences, math stands out in the way some central ideas and tools are timeless. Key math ideas from our first mathematical experiences, perhaps early in life, often have more permanence this way. While the fads do change in math, there are some landmarks that remain, and which inspire generations. And they are as useful now as they were at their inception, the fundamentals of numbers, of geometry, of calculus and differential equations. The authors are ambitious in trying to cover the essetials within the span of 500 plus pages. You find the facts, presented in clear and engaging prose, and with lots of illustrations.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You'll also learn lots of solid mathematics.,
By A Customer
This review is from: What Is Mathematics?: An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods (Oxford paperbacks) (Paperback)
So Einstein thought this book "easily understandable" ? Well, if you are a beginner at calculus you will not find it "easily understandable", for that would mean you didn't learn a single new thing! Calculus is perhaps the most profound and far-reaching discovery of the millenium, and is certainly not trivial. However, this magical book is the best possible introduction. It is written so that your perplexities will always be accompanied by so beautiful results or promises of results, that you will be more than ready to do the necessary efforts. These come, for instance, in the form of exercises and in the details of the demonstrations, which are all there. There is no cheating. Well, the book is not only about calculus. There are many previous chapters on theory of numbers, geometry, algebra, topology. But I think it culminates with calculus, and the preceding chapters serve as steps of a staircase leading to it. The new edition has the collaboratio! n of Ian Stewart, an inspired writer.
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