On the Foundation and Technic of Arithmetic (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

George Bruce Halsted

9780267488087: On the Foundation and Technic of Arithmetic (Classic Reprint)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0267488084 ISBN 13: 9780267488087

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2024

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Discover how arithmetic grew from instinct to a precise, human-made tool that shapes how we understand the world.

This book traces the origins and development of number, showing how humans created artificial units and discrete aggregates to think, count, and measure. It explains why counting came before measurement and how the decimal base emerged from early human anatomy and practice. Readable and thoughtful, it connects ideas about language, cognition, and the practical power of arithmetic.

Through historical discussion and careful analysis, the text reveals the interplay between natural perception and the artificial structures that make number usable. It highlights how arithmetic evolved as a fundamental engine for domination over the world, while also offering a clear view of why measurement can never be exact and why counting remains exact.

How numbers arise from grouping natural objects into artificial wholes
Why cardinal numbers hinge on human-made unity, not just natural counting
The distinction between counting (identification) and measuring (approximation)
Origins of the decimal base and the idea of measurement as a device for representation

Ideal for readers of math history and educators seeking a rigorous, accessible account of arithmetic’s foundations and methods.

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