From Summetria to Symmetry: The Making of a Revolutionary Scientific ConceptSpringer Science & Business Media, 2008 M07 9 - 336 páginas Many literary critics seem to think that an hypothesis about obscure and remote questions of history can be refuted by a simple demand for the production of more evidence than in fact exists. The demand is as easy to make as it is impossible to satisfy. But the true test of an hypothesis, if it cannot be shown to con?ict with known truths, is the number of facts that it correlates and explains. Francis M. Cornford [1914] 1934, 220. It was in the autumn of 1997 that the research project leading to this publication began. One of us [GH], while a visiting fellow at the Center for Philosophy of Science (University of Pittsburgh), gave a talk entitled, “Proportions and Identity: The Aesthetic Aspect of Symmetry”. The presentation focused on a confusion s- rounding the concept of symmetry: it exhibits unity, yet it is often claimed to reveal a form of beauty, namely, harmony, which requires a variety of elements. In the audience was the co-author of this book [BRG] who responded with enthusiasm, seeking to extend the discussion of this issue to historical sources in earlier periods. A preliminary search of the literature persuaded us that the history of symmetry was rich in possibilities for new insights into the making of concepts. John Roche’s brief essay (1987), in which he sketched the broad outlines of the history of this concept, was particularly helpful, and led us to conclude that the subject was worthy of monographic treatment. |
Contenido
1 | |
Ancient Perspectives and Their Survival in the Early | 56 |
The Mathematical Path | 69 |
The Aesthetic Path 93 | 92 |
New Aesthetic Sensibilities in Italian and French Architecture | 111 |
The Ancient Concept of Symmetry in Scientific Contexts in Early | 156 |
The Treatment of Symmetry in Natural History 17381815 | 179 |
Legendres Revolutionary Definition of Symmetry as a Scientific | 221 |
Legendres Choice of SymmetryWhats in a Word? | 295 |
303 | |
323 | |
Otras ediciones - Ver todas
From Summetria to Symmetry: The Making of a Revolutionary Scientific Concept Giora Hon,Bernard R. Goldstein Sin vista previa disponible - 2010 |
From Summetria to Symmetry: The Making of a Revolutionary Scientific Concept Giora Hon,Bernard R. Goldstein Sin vista previa disponible - 2009 |
From Summetria to Symmetry: The Making of a Revolutionary Scientific Concept Giora Hon,Bernard R. Goldstein Sin vista previa disponible - 2008 |
Términos y frases comunes
18th century aesthetic Alberti ancient angles solides appears applied Archimedes architecture argument axis beauty bilateral sense bilateral symmetry Biot body Book Brading and Castellani Cauchy center of gravity claim commensurabiles commensurable concept of symmetry context Copernicus correspondence crystal definition of symmetry deux Diderot discussion domains early modern égaux Éléments Encyclopédie equilibrium Euclid Euclid's Elements Euler Euler's formula example expression figure Fraassen French Galileo géométrie Greek group theory Haüy incommensurable incongruent counterparts invariable Kant Kepler Lacroix Laplace Latin Legendre Legendre's Leibniz Linnaeus Mach mathematical meaning of symmetry mirror image modern concept Montesquieu nature objects passage Perrault physical plane polyèdres polygons polyhedra polyhedron principle proportion qu'il relation respective symmetry scientific concept Simson solid angles solid geometry spherical triangles Springer Science+Business Media symétrie symétrique symmetrical polyhedra symmetry in physics theorem theory tradition translation usage of symmetry Van Fraassen Vitruvian Vitruvius Vitruvius's Weyl