Publisher's Synopsis
From the rudimentary mathematical abilities of prehistoric man
to bizarre ideas at the edges of modern math, here is the story
of mathematics through the history of its most central concept:
number.
Dantzig demonstrates that the evolution of numbers is
inextricably linked with the history of human culture. He shows
how advances in math were spurred by the demands of growing
commerce in the ancient world; how the pure speculation
of philosophers and religious mystics contributed to our
understanding of numbers; how the exchange of ideas between
cultures in times of war and imperial conquest fueled advances
in knowledge; how the forces of history combine with human
intuition to trigger revolutions in thought.
Dantzig's exposition of the foundations and philosophy of
math is accessible to all readers. He explores many of the most
fascinating topics in math, such as the properties of numbers,
the invention of zero, and infinity. First published in 1930, this
book is, beyond doubt, the best book on the evolution of
mathematics-now again in print.
