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Ancient Greek Philosophy and Mathematics

Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited StatesES.113
Free, no sign-up neededSpring 2016English
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This course explores the relationship between ancient Greek philosophy and mathematics. We investigate how ideas of definition, reason, argument and proof, rationality / irrationality, number, quality and quantity, truth, and even the idea of an idea were shaped by the interplay of philosophic and mathematical inquiry. The course examines how discovery of the incommensurability of magnitudes challenged the Greek presumption that the cosmos is fully understandable.

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