[TMS] Why Euclid was a genius and (maybe) other stories

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• Prof. Martin Hyland (DPMMS)
• Monday 08 February 2016, 20:30-21:30
• Winstanley Lecture Theatre, Trinity College.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Jason Kwong.

It is often said that we know very little about Euclid. But we do have (most of) his Elements – perhaps the most widely studied secular book of all time. I claim that it is the expression of a remarkable mathematical personality. There are two distinct proofs of Pythagoras’ Theorem in Euclid’s Elements. I believe that we can reconstruct Euclid’s thinking in giving these two proofs. When we do so, we see what is an unrecognised depth to Euclid: not only was he a remarkable geometer and arithmetician but he also had the instincts of a modern logician.

This talk is part of the Trinity Mathematical Society series.

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• Guy Emerson's list
• Trinity Mathematical Society
• Winstanley Lecture Theatre, Trinity College
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