From discrete to continuous : the broadening of number concepts in early modern England /

Includes bibliographical references (p. [163]-169) and index.Machine generated contents note: Chapter 1: Transformation of the Number Concept 1 -- Chapter 2: The Ancient Sources 12 -- Aristotle 12 -- Euclid 17 -- Proclus 22 -- Greek Atomists 25 -- Chapter 3: The Contemporary Influences 28 -- The Abacus Tradition 28 -- Simon Stevin 33 -- The Techniques of Viete 36 -- Descartes 39 -- Conclusion 45 -- Chapter 4: Early Modern English Algebra 46 -- The Nature of the Texts 47 -- Robert Recorde 49 -- The Treatment of Numbers in Arithmetic Texts 58 -- John Tapp 61 -- Thomas Harriot's Arts Analyticae Praxis 62 -- Oughtred's Clavis Mathematicae 71 -- Conclusion 77 -- Chapter 5: The Development of the Logarithms: Napier and Briggs 80 -- Napier's Background 84 -- Algebra 85 -- Napier's Logarithms 87 -- Briggs and Numerical Methods 104 -- Briggs' Method of Construction 106 -- Conclusion 113 -- Chapter 6: Isaac Barrow 115 -- Background and Education 116 -- Barrow's Mathematical Practice 121 -- Foundational Issues in Barrow's Cambridge Lectures 132 -- Conclusion 136 -- Chapter 7: John Wallis 138 -- Background and Education 139 -- Wallis' Mathematical Practice 143 -- The Composition of Continua 151 -- Conclusion. 155 -- Chapter 8: Conelusion 158 -- References: 163 -- Indices: 171