Boscovich's geometrical principle of continuity, and the ``mysteries of the infinity'' (Q1635796)

Some principles in mathematics are used unknowingly for centuries until someone will discover them. This is the case for the geometrical principle of continuity, and this paper presents its formulation by Boscovich (1711--1787) and compares his treatment with that both by his forerunners and successors. The first one who used the principle was Kepler while considering conic sections cut by a plane rotating around a straight line. He was followed by Briggs, Desargues, Pascal and particularly Leibniz who recognized the principle and gave a name to it. Boscovich made the principle an explicit object of study with the aim to place it on secure grounds. After thorough analysis and underlining elements of novelty in his approach the authors nevertheless came to the conclusion that ``Boscovich looked at this principle more from the point of view of a philosopher, and scientist of nature, than from the point of view of a mathematician (\(\dots\)) and we shall not emphasize Boscovich's position as a forerunner of modern theories''.