The 1740 resolution of the Fermat-Descartes controversy (Q1121251)
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English | The 1740 resolution of the Fermat-Descartes controversy |
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The 1740 resolution of the Fermat-Descartes controversy (English)
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1989
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The aim of this paper is to discuss a booklet written by Pietro Di Martino (Naples 1709-1746) on the difference between the hypotheses and results of Descartes and Fermat. For this purpose the authors divide their article into four sections. The authors summarize in section 1 the contents of the booklet, together with those of Physics hand book written by the same author, as well as Di Martino's Strategy. In section 2 the authors describe the most relevant arguments concerning optics discussed by Di Martino in his 1738 handbook. In section 3 the authors discuss Di Martino's resolution of the Fermat-Descartes controversy. In section 4 they draw their conclusions. The article is well written and helpful to those who are going to study the history of science or mathematics.
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Descartes
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Fermat
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Newton
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Optics
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Pietro Di Martino
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