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September 13th, 2009, 04:29 PM
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What is considered to be the bible of mathematics.
To put it another way. If you are a passionate mathematicion or a student of mathematics and could only have one book to learn, study and appreciate it all, what would it be?
What is the one great work? Or perhaps it does not exist.
Post your opinions.
Perhaps I seek the holy grail
Last edited by CaptainBlack; September 14th, 2009 at 02:30 AM.
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September 14th, 2009, 12:48 PM
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Well, Newton's Principia Mathematica was the "Bible" of British Mathematics until the time of Hardy, but it was pretty detrimental. Students of maths were expected to quote the book, not think for themselves...
I would say the works of Bourbaki as are close as we could wish to a Bible of Mathematics. |
September 14th, 2009, 12:49 PM
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Never should the mind of man be shackled to ancient text
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September 14th, 2009, 12:51 PM
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The equivalent of the Book of Genesis would of course be The Elements by Euclid.
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September 14th, 2009, 12:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by e^(i*pi)  Never should the mind of man be shackled to ancient text | Well yes okay, but a bit of light bedtime reading's allowed, surely?
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September 15th, 2009, 05:53 PM
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Thanks for the replies.
Elements by Euclid does look quite interesting. There is a version on Amazon with a translation and some extra explanation by Sir Thomas Heath. It is split into three volumes, so I will try volume 1 and take it from there.
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September 15th, 2009, 11:05 PM
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It's excellent, but there's a danger in getting bogged down in all the footnotes.
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