On the Historical Development of Infinitesimal Mathematics

DOI10.2307/2974740MaRDI QIDQ4340648zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Detlef Laugwitz

Publication date 13 October 1997

Published in The American Mathematical Monthly (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.2307/2974740

zbMATH Keywords

history of the calculusRobinson's theory of infinitesimals

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

History of mathematics in the 17th century (01A45) History of mathematics in the 18th century (01A50) History of real functions (26-03) Nonstandard analysis (26E35)

Review text

This paper is recommended to anyone who is interested in the history of the calculus. In the first part, under review, the author deals with what he calls in the title: ``The algorithm thinking of Leibniz and Euler. It contains four well-documented sections under the headings: 1. Leibniz and L'Hospital; 2. Leonard Euler and the analysis of the infinite; 3. Criticism and early attempts at justification; 4. New demands from physics. There is no question about the fact -- which is clearly reflected in the paper -- that in looking at the early history of the calculus from the point of view of Robinson's theory of infinitesimals, Euler's and Leibniz' methods become more transparent and understandable.

Recommendations

• Euler's treatises on infinitesimal analysis: \textit{Introductio in analysin, infinitorum, Institutiones calculi differentialis, Institutionum calculie integralis}
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3901081
• Definite values of infinite sums: Aspects of the foundations of infinitesimal analysis around 1820
• Is mathematical history written by the victors?
• A short story of infinitesimal calculus from ancient times to the 20th century

Cited in

(18)

• Definite values of infinite sums: Aspects of the foundations of infinitesimal analysis around 1820
• Toward a history of mathematics focused on procedures
• Infinitesimal. How a dangerous mathematical theory shaped the modern world
• The radical approach to infinitesimals in historical perspective
• Nonstandard Analysis, Infinitesimals, and the History of Calculus
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3901081 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3981121 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3991449 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 42978 (Why is no real title available?)
• Pre‐Robinson approach to the theory of infinitesimals
• Early delta functions and the use of infinitesimals in research
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1263903 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 614319 (Why is no real title available?)
• On the Historical Development of Infinitesimal Mathematics
• Infinitesimals and infinites in the history of mathematics: a brief survey
• Chunk and permeate: the infinitesimals of Isaac Newton
• Euler's treatises on infinitesimal analysis: \textit{Introductio in analysin, infinitorum, Institutiones calculi differentialis, Institutionum calculie integralis}
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 4183360 (Why is no real title available?)

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