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Evolution of History of Mathematics: Some Trends

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History of the Mathematical Sciences

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Abstract

Literature on History of Mathematics evolved in the last two centuries in two distinct directions. A group of scholars, whom we may call cultural historians, depicted a unified image of mathematics giving descriptive historical accounts of development of mathematical concepts over the ages, without making any analytical distinction between various branches of mathematics. The other other group of scholars, whom we may call mathematical historians, presented a pluralistic view of mathematics giving due emphasis to development of different branches of the subject. The purpose of this article is to take a glimpse into such divergent approahes in the evolution of history of mathematics and to examine their implications in the overall development of mathematical and humanistic cultures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics, Jadavpur University, Calcutta, 700 032, India

    K. S. Chaudhuri

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  1. K. S. Chaudhuri
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Middlesex University, Enfield, UK

    Ivor Grattan-Guinness

  2. University of Delhi, Delhi, India

    B. S. Yadav

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© 2004 Hindustan Book Agency

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Chaudhuri, K.S. (2004). Evolution of History of Mathematics: Some Trends. In: Grattan-Guinness, I., Yadav, B.S. (eds) History of the Mathematical Sciences. Hindustan Book Agency, Gurgaon. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-93-86279-16-3_1

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