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Ancient Rhetoric and Greek Mathematics: A Response to a Modern Historiographical Dilemma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2003

Alain Bernard
Alain Bernard
Affiliation:
Dibner Institute, Boston
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Abstract

Argument

In this article, I compare Sabetai Unguru’s and Wilbur Knorr’s views on the historiography of ancient Greek mathematics. Although they share the same concern for avoiding anachronisms, they take very different stands on the role mathematical readings should have in the interpretation of ancient mathematics. While Unguru refuses any intrusion of mathematical practice into history, Knorr believes this practice to be a key tool for understanding the ancient tradition of geometry. Thus modern historians have to find their way between these opposing views while avoiding an unsatisfactory compromise. One approach to this, I propose, is to take ancient rhetoric into account. I illustrate this proposal by showing how rhetorical categories can help us to analyze mathematical texts. I finally show that such an approach accommodates Knorr’s concern about ancient mathematical practice as well as the standards for modern historical research set by Unguru 25 years ago.

Type
Articles
Information
Science in Context , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , September 2003 , pp. 391 - 412
Copyright
2003 Cambridge University Press

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References

Ancient sources

Coll. Math. Pappi Alexandrini collectionis quæ supersunt. Edition and Latin translation of Friedrich Hultsch. 3 vol. Berlin:Weidmann. 1876-1878. Coll. Math. 39.3 = page 39, line 3.
Arch. Archimedes: Opera omnia, cum commentariis Eutocii. Edition and Latin translation of Johan Heiberg. Leipzig: Teubner. 1910-1915. Arch. III 67.3 = volume III, page 67, line 3.
In Eucl. Proclus diadochi in Primum Euclidis Elementorum Librum commentarii. Edition of Godfried Friedlein. Leipzig: Teubner. 1873 (reprint Georg Olms 1967). In Eucl. 54.5 = page 54, line 5.

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