Description
Throughout history, application rather than abstraction has been the prominent driving force in mathematics. From the compass and sextant to partial differential equations, mathematical advances were spurred by the desire for better navigation tools, weaponry, and construction methods. But the religious upheaval in Victorian England and the fledgling United States opened the way for the rediscovery of pure mathematics, a tradition rooted in Ancient Greece.
In Equations from God, Daniel J. Cohen captures the origins of the rebirth of abstract mathematics in the intellectual quest to rise above common existence and touch the mind of the deity. Using an array of published and private sources, Cohen shows how philosophers and mathematicians seized upon the beautiful simplicity inherent in mathematical laws to reconnect with the divine and traces the route by which the divinely inspired mathematics of the Victorian era begot later secular philosophies.Reviews
"The book is a good read."—Barnabas Hughes, Convergence"Cohen's short, readable book is a study in the history of ideas, and can be welcomed as pointing the way to important new directions in the history of mathematics."—Jeremy Gray, Newsletter of the London Mathematical Society "An extremely helpful book for anyone interested in the relationship between mathematics and religious belief."—Journal of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences "An excellent pick for college-level collections strong in science or spirituality."—Midwest Book Review "One can only welcome Equations from God."—First Things "A great book, full of lovely stories. It is an important contribution."—Teun Koetsier, Zentralblatt Math "The main strength of the book comes from Cohen's archival research."—Ivor Grattan-Guinness, American Historical Review "Well-researched and engaging . . . breaks through the traditional mold for writing history of mathematics."—Calvin Jongsma, Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith "Cohen has offered food for thought for historians of Victorian science in general and of mathematics in particular."—Karen H. Parshall, Isis
Author Information
Daniel J. Cohen is an assistant professor of history at George Mason University and the coauthor of Digital History: A Guide to Gathering, Preserving, and Presenting the Past on the Web.
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