Philosophy and Geometry: Theoretical and Historical Issues (The Western Ontario Series in Philosophy of Science) - Hardcover

Lorenzo Magnani

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0792369335 ISBN 13: 9780792369332

Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001

Synopsis

Philosophers have studied geometry since ancient times. Geometrical knowledge has often played the role of a laboratory for the philosopher's conceptual experiments dedicated to the ideation of powerful theories of knowledge. Lorenzo Magnani's new book Philosophy and Geometry illustrates the rich intrigue of this fascinating story of human knowledge, providing a new analysis of the ideas of many scholars (including Plato, Proclus, Kant, and Poincaré), and discussing conventionalist and neopositivist perspectives and the problem of the origins of geometry. The book also ties together the concerns of philosophers of science and cognitive scientists, showing, for example, the connections between geometrical reasoning and cognition as well as the results of recent logical and computational models of geometrical reasoning. All the topics are dealt with using a novel combination of both historical and contemporary perspectives. Philosophy and Geometry is a valuable contribution to the renaissance of research in the field.

About this title

Review

From the reviews: "In this book different points of view with respect to geometry are combined. This mix of approaches from philosophy, history, mathematic, psychology and cognitive science with references to logic and computational models of geometry, represents a ] the strength of the book. a ] the authora (TM)s erudition is impressive. a ] Undoubtedly the book is good medicine against one-sided views of what geometry is." (Teun Koetsier, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1045 (20), 2004)

Edition details

• Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0792369335
• ISBN 13: 9780792369332
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 249