Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1158461 | Historia Mathematica | 2014 | 25 Pages |
Abstract
This paper is a discussion of Ptolemy's use of mathematical tables in the Almagest. By focusing on Ptolemy's mathematical practice and terminology, I argue that Ptolemy used tables as part of an organized group of units of text, which I call the table nexus. In the context of this deductive structure, tables function in the Almagest in much the same way as theorems in a canonical work, such as the Elements, both as means of presenting acquired knowledge and as tools for producing further knowledge.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Mathematics
Mathematics (General)
Authors
Nathan Sidoli,