Mathematical Masterpieces: Further Chronicles by the Explorers

In introducing his essays on the study and understanding of nature and e lution, biologist Stephen J. Gould writes: [W]e acquire a surprising source of rich and apparently limitless novelty from the primary documents of great thinkers throughout our history. But why should any nuggets, or even ?akes, be left for int lectual miners in such terrain? Hasnt the Origin of Species been read untold millions of times? Hasnt every paragraph been subjected to overt scholarly scrutiny and exegesis? Letmeshareasecretrootedingeneralhumanfoibles. . . . Veryfew people, including authors willing to commit to paper, ever really read primary sourcescertainly not in necessary depth and completion, and often not at all. . . . I can attest that all major documents of science remain cho full of distinctive and illuminating novelty, if only people will study themin full and in the original editions. Why would anyone not yearn to read these works; not hunger for the opportunity? [99, p. 6f] It is in the spirit of Goulds insights on an approach to science based on p mary texts that we o?er the present book of annotated mathematical sources, from which our undergraduate students have been learning for more than a decade. Although teaching and learning with primary historical sources require a commitment of study, the investment yields the rewards of a deeper understanding of the subject, an appreciation of its details, and a glimpse into the direction research has taken. Our students read sequences of primary sources.