Paradoxes: What Are They Good For?

Israel Kleiner ()
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Israel Kleiner: York University, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Chapter Chapter 8 in Excursions in the History of Mathematics, 2012, pp 181-196 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract A paradox has been described as a truth standing on its head to attract attention. Undoubtedly, paradoxes captivate. They also cajole, provoke, amuse, exasperate, and seduce. More importantly, they arouse curiosity, they stimulate, and they motivate. In this chapter we present examples of paradoxes from the history of mathematics which have inspired the clarification of basic concepts and the introduction of major results. Our examples will deal with numbers, logarithms, functions, continuity, tangents, infinite series, sets, curves, and decomposition of geometric objects.

Keywords: Eighteenth Century; Seventeenth Century; Negative Number; Infinite Series; Single Expression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-0-8176-8268-2_8

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DOI: 10.1007/978-0-8176-8268-2_8

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