Oxford Figures, Chapter 1: 800 years of mathematical traditions

This is the story of the intellectual and social life of a community, and of its interactions with the wider world. For 800 years mathematics has been researched and studied at Oxford, and the subject and its teaching have undergone profound changes during that time. This highly readable and beautifully illustrated book reveals the richness and influence of Oxford's mathematical tradition and the fascinating characters who helped to shape it. Oxford Figures paints a vivid portrait of the life and work of many well known scholars including Robert Boyle, Christopher Wren, Edmond Halley, Benjamin Jowett, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, and G. H. Hardy. Later chapters bring us to the twentieth century, and the book ends with some entertaining reminiscences by Sir Michael Atiyah of the thirty years he spent as an Oxford mathematician.

Below are links to the sections of the first chapter of this book and the figures within the chapter. The chapter is also available as a PDF file.

• John Fauvel
• The medieval heritage
• The tradition of the mathematical sciences
• The logical tradition
• The instrumental tradition
• The antiquarian tradition
• The historical research tradition
• The publishing tradition
• The popularizing tradition
• The literary tradition
• The mathematical research tradition
• The examination tradition
• The tradition of rivalry with Cambridge
• The traditions live on
• Figures

The OUP page for this book contains a full listing of the contents and contributors to the book.