Pappus' notes to Euclid's optics (Q2752080)

Presents and analyses the propositions of Pappus's \textit{Collection} Book VI (100-102, or prop. 51-52), which discuss eye-points from which a circle looks an ellipse, though Pappus is partly in error. Argues the possibility of the concept of a vanishing point on the part of Pappus, suggesting his originality. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThis paper was read in 1989 at the annual meeting of the Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Mathematics, and gave rise to Knorr's two papers, ``When circles don't look like circles: An optical theorem in Euclid and Pappus'', Arch. Hist. Exact Sci. 44, No. 4, 287-329 (1992; Zbl 0762.01002) and ``On the principle of linear perspective in Euclid's optics'', Centaurus 34, No. 3, 193-210 (1991; Zbl 0850.01002).NEWLINENEWLINEFor the entire collection see [Zbl 0964.00010].