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Mathematics And Philosophy In Late Antiquity Clarendon Paperbacks

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Published in Pythagoras Revived: Mathematics And Philosophy In Late Antiquity (Clarendon Paperbacks)

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In the twilight of the ancient world, as the Roman Empire teetered on the brink of collapse, a remarkable intellectual ferment took hold of the Mediterranean world. This was a time when the boundaries between mathematics, philosophy, and religion blurred, and scholars sought to unravel the deepest mysteries of the universe and human existence.

Pythagoras Revived: Mathematics and Philosophy in Late Antiquity (Clarendon Paperbacks)

by Dominic J. O'Meara

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Language	:	English
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At the heart of this intellectual revolution was a group of brilliant thinkers who grappled with the fundamental questions of reality, knowledge, and the nature of the divine. They were known as the Neoplatonists, and their teachings would profoundly shape the course of Western thought for centuries to come.

One of the most influential Neoplatonic philosophers was Plotinus, who lived in Rome in the 3rd century AD. Plotinus believed that the universe emanated from a single, transcendent source, which he called the One. The One, he argued, was beyond all being and all knowledge, and could only be approached through a process of mystical contemplation.

Plotinus's ideas had a profound impact on mathematics. Neoplatonic mathematicians sought to use mathematics to understand the structure of the universe and to постичь the nature of the divine. They developed new mathematical techniques, such as the calculus of infinitesimals, which allowed them to explore the infinite and the continuous.

The most famous Neoplatonic mathematician was Pappus of Alexandria, who lived in the 4th century AD. Pappus wrote a number of important works on mathematics, including a commentary on Euclid's Elements and a collection of mathematical problems. Pappus's work helped to preserve much of the mathematical knowledge of the ancient world, and it inspired later mathematicians, such as Descartes and Newton.

The interplay between mathematics and philosophy in late antiquity was a complex and fascinating one. Neoplatonic thinkers used mathematics to explore the nature of reality, while mathematicians used Neoplatonic ideas to develop new mathematical techniques. This cross-fertilization of ideas led to some of the most important intellectual advances in human history.

The Clarendon Paperbacks edition of Mathematics And Philosophy In Late Antiquity is a valuable resource for anyone interested in this important period of intellectual history. The book contains a selection of key texts from the Neoplatonic tradition, as well as essays by leading scholars on the subject. It is an essential read for anyone who wants to understand the roots of Western thought.