The Little Book of Numbers
Description
This book is a conceptual exploration of numbers, offering a unique perspective that blends mathematical insights with philosophical reflections.
It includes chapters on specific numbers to illustrate broader theoretical issues, with a notable emphasis on the concept of infinity. The content is designed to be accessible and enjoyable, avoiding heavy mathematical terminology and notation to maintain readability. The book also incorporates historical and biographical snippets, along with occasional irreverent comments, providing an approachable introduction to the world of numbers.
This book is for anyone wanting to know more about the philosophy of numbers, including those who may not have a background in mathematics but are curious about the subject.
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Person
Chris Brink is a South African mathematician and academic. He was the Head of the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town from 1991 to 1999 and is a former President of the South African Mathematical Society. He holds a PhD in algebraic logic from Cambridge University in the UK, and an interdisciplinary DPhil from the University of Johannesburg. His research publications span topics in logic, mathematics, philosophy and computer science. He served as the Vice-Chancellor (President) of Newcastle University in the UK from 2007 to 2016, and was Convenor of the sector-wide Research Assessment Exercise in Hong Kong in 2020 and 2026. He lives in the winelands of the Western Cape in South Africa.
Content
Chapter 1. 0 ('Zero').- Chapter 2. 1 ('One') and other natural numbers.- Chapter 3. V2 ('The square root of 2').- Chapter 4. f ('Phi', or 'The golden ratio').- Chapter 5. p ('Pi').- Chapter 6. e ('Euler's number').- Chapter 7. i ('The square root of -1').- Chapter 8. 10 ('Ten') and other numbers famous for being famous.- Chapter 9. Prime numbers.- Chapter 10. Large numbers.- Chapter 11. Infinity.- Chapter 12. What is a number?.