“The World Is Round. Or, Is It, Really?” A Global History of Mathematics in the 17th Century

Part of the series 'What do historians of mathematics do?'

In this talk, we will survey the movement of mathematical ideas in the 17th century. We will explore, in particular, the mathematical cultures of Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Cape Town, Goa, Kyoto, Beijing, and London, as well as the journey of mathematical knowledge on a global scale. As it will be an ambitious task to complete a round-the-world history tour in an hour, the focus will be on East Asia. By employing the digital humanities technique, this presentation will use digital media to effectively show historical sources and help the audience imagine the world as a “round” entity when we discuss a global history of mathematics.