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Newton, Maclaurin, And The Authority Of Mathematics, Judith V. Grabiner
Newton, Maclaurin, And The Authority Of Mathematics, Judith V. Grabiner
Pitzer Faculty Publications and Research
Sir Isaac Newton revolutionized physics and astronomy in his Principia. How did he do it? Would his method work on any area of inquiry, not only in science, but also about society and religion? We look at how some Newtonians, most notably Colin Maclaurin, combined sophisticated mathematical modeling and empirical data in what has come to be called the "Newtonian Style." We argue that this style was responsible not only for Maclaurin’s scientific success but for his ability to solve problems ranging from taxation to insurance to theology. We show how Maclaurin’s work strengthened the prestige of Newtonianism and …
Was Newton's Calculus A Dead End? The Continental Influence Of Maclaurin's Treatise Of Fluxions, Judith V. Grabiner
Was Newton's Calculus A Dead End? The Continental Influence Of Maclaurin's Treatise Of Fluxions, Judith V. Grabiner
Pitzer Faculty Publications and Research
We will show that Maclaurin's Treatise of Fluxions did develop important ideas and techniques and that it did influence the mainstream of mathematics. The Newtonian tradition in calculus did not come to an end in Maclaurin's Britain. Instead, Maclaurin's Treatise served to transmit Newtonian ideas in calculus, improved and expanded, to the Continent. We will look at what these ideas were, what Maclaurin did with them, and what happened to this work afterwards. Then, we will ask what by then should be an interesting question: why has Maclaurin's role been so consistently underrated? Thse questions will involve general matters of …