In his Meditations on First Philosophy, Rene Descartes proposes the argument: “Nothing further now remains but to inquire whether material things exist. And certainly I at least know that these may exist insofar as they are considered as the objects of pure mathematics, since in this aspect I perceive them clearly and distinctly” (451) Essentially Descartes is putting forth the assertion that only the mathematical characteristics of objects can be clearly and distinctly perceived as being manifest of the true nature of them. The first premise of his claim is that I can infer mathematical qualities exhibited by objects are existent due to our systematic and regular perception and I cannot conclude that the non-mathematical properties I perceive…
Descartes’ journey through the realm of his mind and his internal exploration of all the things he previously thought to be certainly true, brings him to the subject of the existence of God in his Third Meditation. Before he touches on the existence of God, he concludes that there are three different types of ideas. There are fictional and adventitious ideas which Descartes’ creates on his own and finally there are innate ideas which are present in the mind at birth. With these types of ideas in…
one of the first women to make many contributions to mathematics. In this essay, I will be discussing her life and contributions to mathematics. Maria Gaetana Agnesi was born on May 16, 1718 in Milan, Italy. She had a very wealthy family, who in turn gave her the best tutors. While at a young age, she had learned 5 different languages. Growing up, Agnesi's father was proud of her wealth, so he would invite over intellectual people to debate with his daughter. She had to debate and give…
Mathematicians have been around for centuries. They have contributed great amounts of knowledge to the world. A mathematician is a person who excels or is an expert in mathematics. One specific mathematician that brought great ideas into the world was Gottfried Leibniz. He contributed a lot to mathematics, science, physics, philosophy and even his local government. Mathematicians are very important because without them we would not have many important theories that explain why certain things…
groundbreaking contributions to mathematics, but also for the mental anguish and personal tragedy in their lives. How big is infinity? What is thermodynamics? These seemingly simple questions are what drove four brilliant mathematicians to insanity and ultimately suicide. “Dangerous Knowledge” delves into the deeper side of mathematics by trying to understand nature through mathematics, philosophy, physics, and logic. Each of them over obsessed with finding answers, and each time they reached a…
Introduction Daniel I Bernoulli stated that “there is no philosophy which is not found upon knowledge of the phenomena, but to get any profit from this knowledge it is absolutely necessary to be a mathematician”(BrainyQuote). Daniel, a second generation mathematician, learned this valuable lesson, as his father and uncle had before him; mathematics is vital when interpreting the world. While Daniel was succeeded by a laundry list of mathematicians and physics, it is he and the men which preceded…
Marie-Sophie Germain Although she is not well known, Marie-Sophie Germain contributed much to the fields of mathematics, philosophy, and physics and proved to be an exceptional physicist, mathematician, and philosopher throughout her lifetime. Overcoming all obstacles thrown her way, Germain fought relentlessly for her education and proved to not only her parents, but the whole mathematic and scientific community that women could be successful. From the start of her life, Germain was blessed…
He left his treasure for future generations with his crazy family background. Thanks to his father, Jakab, this astonishing mathematician made a mark in the mathematics world. It is beyond belief how even though his mind was not set of becoming a famous mathematician he became one. It is important to remember to never give up on anything, like George Polya he continued to look for what he loved to do until he found the sparkle he…
My intention to study Mathematics stems from my appreciation of the complexity and variety of the different branches which the subject encompasses. In my academic career I have particularly enjoyed the challenge of Further Mathematics, as many skills and disciplines are collated to reach a final and satisfying conclusion. Continuing my studies at Newcastle would give me the opportunity to diversify my knowledge and continue forming a solid foundation for further problem solving in my career.…
Scientists were now using the newly developed mathematics to describe natural science phenomena. They were no longer limited to forcing their math to fit a preconceived notion, and could now explore things as they were. Hume shows us a changed in the way people accepted new information. They were no longer accepting things on face value, but instead questioning them. They developed a curiosity to prove things for themselves, a notion that is still present today. Even today we still maintain a…