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Numerical Notation: A Comparative History

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Numerical Notation: A Comparative History is a book by Stephen Chrisomalis that covers the histories of number systems used around the world. Based originally on the author's PhD thesis at McGill University,[1][2] it was published by Cambridge University Press in 2010.

Contents

Chrisomalis classifies the number systems he describes into eight broad groups: Hieroglyphic, Levantine, Italic, Alphabetic, South Asian, Mesopotamian, East Asian, and Mesoamerican. In addition, he includes a separate chapter for "miscellaneous" systems that do not fit into any of the other groups.[3]

Reception

Ivor Grattan-Guinness found that the book "establishes itself as a substantial achievement in the intersection of the history of mathematics with anthropology", reserving special praise for the chapters that reflect upon number-system evolution from social and cognitive perspectives. He noted that Chrisomalis could also have included the Braille system for writing numbers, as well as a possible predecessor to Roman numerals. Despite these omissions, he regarded the book as unparalleled in its comprehensiveness.[4] G. E. R. Lloyd also deemed the book more comprehensive than prior works on the subject. Lloyd praised the detail and care of Chrisomalis' descriptions, observing that the emphasis which Chrisomalis put upon practical applications like commerce meant "rather less discussion than one might expect" about pure mathematics.[5]

[6][7]

Reviewing the book for the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, Eugene Kidwell described it as "comprehensive, encyclopaedic and scholarly", suggesting that it "will equally be of interest to the anthropologist, historian of science, or linguist".[3]

[8][9]

References

  1. ^ Laughlin, Philip (2021-06-21). "Re-counting the Cognitive History of Numerals". The MIT Press Reader. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  2. ^ Chrisomalis, Stephen (2003). The Comparative History of Numerical Notation (PhD thesis). McGill University.
  3. ^ a b Kidwell, Eugene (2012-04-01). "Numerical Notation: A Comparative History". Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  4. ^ Grattan-Guinness, I. (April 2013). Annals of Science. 70 (2): 294–295. doi:10.1080/00033790.2010.518767. ISSN 0003-3790.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  5. ^ Lloyd, G. E. R. (December 2010). Isis. 101 (4): 864–865. doi:10.1086/659672.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  6. ^ Davis, Ernest (June 2015). "Numerical Notation Systems as Cultural Artifacts" (PDF). SIAM News. 48 (5): 4–5.
  7. ^ Hutton, D. M. (2012-08-03). Kybernetes. 41 (7/8): 1160–1160. doi:10.1108/k.2012.41.7_8.1160.1.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  8. ^ Heintz, Christophe (September 2013). Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. 19 (3): 664–666. doi:10.1111/1467-9655.12058_8. ISSN 1359-0987.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  9. ^ Schuppener, Georg (2012-08-10). Written Language & Literacy. 15 (2): 279–281. doi:10.1075/wll.15.2.08sch. ISSN 1387-6732.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
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