What Is Mathematics? An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods [Paperback]

Richard Courant (Author), Herbert Robbins (Author), Ian Stewart (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 18, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0195105192 | ISBN-13: 978-0195105193 | Edition: 2

For more than two thousand years a familiarity with mathematics has been regarded as an indispensable part of the intellectual equipment of every cultured person. Today, unfortunately, the traditional place of mathematics in education is in grave danger. The teaching and learning of mathematics has degenerated into the realm of rote memorization, the outcome of which leads to satisfactory formal ability but does not lead to real understanding or to greater intellectual independence. This new edition of Richard Courant's and Herbert Robbins's classic work seeks to address this problem. Its goal is to put the meaning back into mathematics.

Written for beginners and scholars, for students and teachers, for philosophers and engineers, What is Mathematics?, Second Edition is a sparkling collection of mathematical gems that offers an entertaining and accessible portrait of the mathematical world. Covering everything from natural numbers and the number system to geometrical constructions and projective geometry, from topology and calculus to matters of principle and the Continuum Hypothesis, this fascinating survey allows readers to delve into mathematics as an organic whole rather than an empty drill in problem solving. With chapters largely independent of one another and sections that lead upward from basic to more advanced discussions, readers can easily pick and choose areas of particular interest without impairing their understanding of subsequent parts.

Brought up to date with a new chapter by Ian Stewart, What is Mathematics?, Second Edition offers new insights into recent mathematical developments and describes proofs of the Four-Color Theorem and Fermat's Last Theorem, problems that were still open when Courant and Robbins wrote this masterpiece, but ones that have since been solved.

Formal mathematics is like spelling and grammar--a matter of the correct application of local rules. Meaningful mathematics is like journalism--it tells an interesting story. But unlike some journalism, the story has to be true. The best mathematics is like literature--it brings a story to life before your eyes and involves you in it, intellectually and emotionally. What is Mathematics is like a fine piece of literature--it opens a window onto the world of mathematics for anyone interested to view.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A 1996 revision of a timeless classic originally published in 1941. Highly recommended for any serious student, teacher or scholar of mathematics.

Review

*Praise for the previous edition:

"Without doubt, the work will have great influence. It should be in the hands of everyone, professional or otherwise, who is interested in scientific thinking."--The New York Times

"Should prove a source of great pleasure and satisfaction."--Journal of Applied Physics

"Succeeds brilliantly in conveying the intellectual excitement of mathematical inquiry and in communicating the essential ideas and methods."Journal of Philosophy

"It is a work of high perfection, whether judged by aesthetic, pedagogical or scientific standards. It is astonishing to what extent What is Mathematics? has succeeded in making clear by means of the simplest examples all the fundamental ideas and methods which we mathematicians consider the life blood of our science."--Herman Weyl

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (July 18, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195105192
• ISBN-13: 978-0195105193
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

189 of 196 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book. Belongs on Your Bookshelf. August 3, 2003

By Michael Wischmeyer VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Courant's 500-page text is not entirely suitable for the layman. Its target audience includes those who enjoy reading and studying mathematics and have a good background through precalculus or higher. "What is Mathematics?" is a mathematics book, not a book about mathematics.

"What is Mathematics?" is not a new book. It was first published by Oxford University Press in 1941 with later editions in 1943, 1945, and 1947. Good quality soft cover copies are still in print as Oxford Paperbacks.

The authors indicate that it is no means necessary to "plow through it page by page, chapter by chapter". I fully agree. I have skipped around, jumping to chapters of particular interest, but I have now read nearly every chapter.

I initially skipped to page 165 and delved directly into projective geometry (chapter IV), proceeded to topology (chapter V), and then jumped backwards to the beginning to explore the theory of numbers. After moving to geometry, I finally returned to the later chapters on functions and limits, maxima and minima, and the calculus.

Courant engages the reader in discussions on mathematical concepts rather than focusing on applications and problem solving. "What is Mathematics?" is a great textbook for students that have completed a year or more of calculus and wish to pull all of their mathematical learning together before moving on to more advanced studies. I suspect that it would even be welcomed by students that have completed an undergraduate degree in mathematics.

I cannot resist quoting Albert Einstein's comment on What is Mathematics? - "A lucid representation of the fundamental concepts and methods of the whole field of mathematics...Easily understandable."

Richard Courant was a highly respected mathematician. He taught in Germany and in Cambridge and was director of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University (now renamed the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences). Courant has authored other widely acclaimed mathematical texts including Methods of Mathematical Physics (co-authored with David Hilbert) and his popular Differential and Integral Calculus.

87 of 88 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars the best bargain in introductory math books in existence April 20, 2005

By twit

Format:Paperback

This book genuinely has more mathematical content, for around $15-$25, than most, maybe all, "bridge" texts for college math majors, costing 5 or 10 times as much.

This book was written by a master, for an intelligent person knowing only 1950's style high school mathematics (some trig, algebra, and geometry).

When I fiorst tried to read it as a youngster however I was not used to books that required actually thinking about each statement, before proceeding to the next. Hence I could not read it at the pace I thought normal.

So this is not a breezy read, but is an outstanding one. It has literally no competitor to my knowledge at the present time, in quantity of material, quality of material, and quality of exposition.

Even experts may learn something here about the most familiar topics. E.g. in presenting the proof of the well known fact that all integers greater than one have unique prime factorizations, the authors show how a clever use of induction avoids developing the characterization of a gcd, which usually precedes this theorem. I had never seen that before.

If you are looking for a miracle book that treats the reader like a baby, and still covers calculus, this is not it. But if you have the prerequisites of a good high school course of elementary math, and are willing to spend time on the arguments, there is no better book for beginners and intelligent laypersons.

71 of 74 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring October 23, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Although I was always good in math in high school, I never really appreciated it. One summer I found this book in a dusty little corner of a bookshelf and I started reading it. I still remember how for the first time, I was inspired by the subject while reading this book. I couldn't stop reading it, until I finished it. At the time, I didn't really know Calculus or any advanced subject and I had never read any math books other than the high school textbooks. This book literally changed my life. I might have forgotten who my first love was, but I remember very well this book after 25 years!