Publicação
Towards a genealogy of recreational mathematics problems
| Resumo: | Based on the assumption that recreational mathematics is a multidisciplinary branch of science, the thesis here is that its study can contribute to a greater understanding not only of the history of mathematics but also of science in general. The understanding of recreational mathematics problems (thus) sheds light (anew) on the development of science and its epistemology (in particular, that of mathematics). One of the ambitions of this text is to suggest the use of recreational mathematics problems as a tool to mediate and analyse subjects in the history and philosophy of science. This work is structured in three parts: the first is very generalist. It presents the field of recreational mathematics as a field, discusses its relevance in the history of mathematics, and surveys the main body of knowledge and sources; the second is a brief excursion to a well-known text in the annals of mathematics, the Propositiones ad Acuendos Iuvenes, and its recreational mathematics contents. The collection of problems and their relevance for recreational mathematics will be revisited and a biography of one Mathematical Recreation followed in detail; the last and most extensive part addresses the work of a pivotal character of the beginning of the past century, Maurice Kraïtchik. His life and work, having been neglected, are historically documented for the first time. His main contributions to recreational mathematics will be addressed, namely, what seems to be the first academic journal and conference dedicated to the topic. Two mathematical recreations, or rather one recreation and one family of recreations, are then addressed at the end of that part. |
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| Autores principais: | Hirth, Tiago |
| Assunto: | Recreational Mathematics Maurice Kraïtchik Propositiones Ad Acuendos Iuvenes Matemática Recreativa |
| Ano: | 2024 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | tese de doutoramento |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa |
| Resumo: | Based on the assumption that recreational mathematics is a multidisciplinary branch of science, the thesis here is that its study can contribute to a greater understanding not only of the history of mathematics but also of science in general. The understanding of recreational mathematics problems (thus) sheds light (anew) on the development of science and its epistemology (in particular, that of mathematics). One of the ambitions of this text is to suggest the use of recreational mathematics problems as a tool to mediate and analyse subjects in the history and philosophy of science. This work is structured in three parts: the first is very generalist. It presents the field of recreational mathematics as a field, discusses its relevance in the history of mathematics, and surveys the main body of knowledge and sources; the second is a brief excursion to a well-known text in the annals of mathematics, the Propositiones ad Acuendos Iuvenes, and its recreational mathematics contents. The collection of problems and their relevance for recreational mathematics will be revisited and a biography of one Mathematical Recreation followed in detail; the last and most extensive part addresses the work of a pivotal character of the beginning of the past century, Maurice Kraïtchik. His life and work, having been neglected, are historically documented for the first time. His main contributions to recreational mathematics will be addressed, namely, what seems to be the first academic journal and conference dedicated to the topic. Two mathematical recreations, or rather one recreation and one family of recreations, are then addressed at the end of that part. |
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