Who gave you the Cauchy-Weierstrass tale? The dual history of rigorous calculus

DOI10.1007/S10699-011-9235-XzbMATH Open1279.01017arXiv1108.2885OpenAlexW2072656382WikidataQ55877841 ScholiaQ55877841MaRDI QIDQ351452FDOQ351452

Authors: Mikhail G. Katz, Alexandre V. Borovik 

Publication date: 11 July 2013

Published in: Foundations of Science (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Cauchy's contribution to the foundations of analysis is often viewed through the lens of developments that occurred some decades later, namely the formalisation of analysis on the basis of the epsilon-delta doctrine in the context of an Archimedean continuum. What does one see if one refrains from viewing Cauchy as if he had read Weierstrass already? One sees, with Felix Klein, a parallel thread for the development of analysis, in the context of an infinitesimal-enriched continuum. One sees, with Emile Borel, the seeds of the theory of rates of growth of functions as developed by Paul du Bois-Reymond. One sees, with E. G. Bjorling, an infinitesimal definition of the criterion of uniform convergence. Cauchy's foundational stance is hereby reconsidered.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1108.2885

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zbMATH Keywords

convergencecontinuitycontinuumlimitsCauchyultraproductWeierstrassDirac functiontransfer principleBernoulliinfinitesimal\(\varepsilon\)-\(\delta\) techniquesArchimedean axiomdu Bois-ReymondepsilonticsFelix Kleinfoundations of analysishyperrealsStolzsum theorem

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

History of mathematics in the 19th century (01A55) History of real functions (26-03) Continuity and related questions (modulus of continuity, semicontinuity, discontinuities, etc.) for real functions in one variable (26A15) Differentiation (real functions of one variable): general theory, generalized derivatives, mean value theorems (26A24)

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Cited In (28)

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