Description
This book is about Euclid and his modern rivals. Euclid is a Greek mathematician who is known for his work on elementary geometry. His modern rivals are other mathematicians who have worked since Euclid's time. Dodgson wrote this book to show that The Manual of Euclid is the only textbook that should be used to teach elementary geometry. He points out that Euclid's sequence and numbering of propositions make his text convincing, and that his treatment of parallels makes it the best textbook for teaching this subject. He also points out that there has been a lot of other work done in the field since Euclid's time, but none of it can replace The Manual of Euclid. This book is a fun read, and researchers in the field of classical geometry will find it useful.
Euclid and His Modern Rivals is a deeply convincing testament to the Greek mathematician's teachings of elementary geometry. Published in 1879, it is humorously constructed and written by Charles Dodgson (better known outside the mathematical world as Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland) in the form of an intentionally unscientific dramatic comedy. Dodgson, mathematical lecturer at Christ Church, Oxford, sets out to provide evidentiary support for the claim that The Manual of Euclid is essentially the defining and exclusive textbook to be used for teaching elementary geometry. Euclid's sequence and numbering of propositions and his treatment of parallels, states Dodgson, make convincing arguments that the Greek scholar's text stands alone in the field of mathematics. The author pointedly recognises the abundance of significant work in the field, but maintains that none of the subsequent manuals can effectively serve as substitutes to Euclid's early teachings of elementary geometry. Review: ' ... reading the book remains to be fun since it has nothing lost concerning the witty arguments of its author. Researchers in the field of the development and reception of nineteenth century textbooks on classical geometry in England will profit from this reprint.' Zentralblatt MATH