Please note that the list below only shows forthcoming events, which may not include regular events that have not yet been entered for the forthcoming term. Please see the past events page for a list of all seminar series that the department has on offer.

 

Past events in this series


Mon, 04 Nov 2024

14:30 - 15:30
L6

History and highlights of the Kerala school of mathematics

Aditya Kolachana
(IIT Madras)
Further Information

Dr. Aditya Kolachana is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai. He heads the Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems at IIT Madras where his research delves into India's scientific and cultural heritage. He is a recipient of the Young Historian of Science Award instituted by the Indian National Science Academy and the Best Teacher Award at IIT Madras. 

Abstract

During the 14th to the 16th centuries CE, a succession of Indian scholars, collectively referred to as the Kerala school, made remarkable contributions in the fields of mathematics and astronomy. Mādhava of Saṅgamagrāma, a gifted mathematician and astronomer, is considered the founder of this school, and is perhaps best known for discovering an infinite series for pi, among other achievements. Subsequently, Mādhava's lineage of disciples, consisting of illustrious names such as Parameśvara, Dāmodara, Nīlakaṇṭha, Jyeṣṭhadeva, Śaṅkara Vāriyar, Citrabhānu, Acyuta Piṣaraṭi etc., made numerous important contributions of their own in the fields of mathematics and astronomy. Later scholars of the Kerala school flourished up to the 19th century. This talk will provide a historical overview of the Kerala school and highlight its important contributions.

Wed, 27 Nov 2024

17:00 - 18:30
L5

Truth Be Told: How To Interpret Past Mathematicians

A.C. Paseau and Fabian Pregel
(Department of Philosophy, University of Oxford)
Abstract

How should we interpret past mathematicians who may use the same vocabulary as us but with different meanings, or whose philosophical outlooks differ from ours? Errors aside, it is often assumed that past mathematicians largely made true claims—but what exactly justifies that assumption?


In this talk, we will explore these questions through general philosophical considerations and four case studies: arithmetic in Book IX of Euclid's Elements, 19th-century analysis, 18th-century geometry, and 19th-century matricial algebra. In each case, we encounter a significant challenge to supposing that the mathematicians in question made true claims. We will show how these challenges can be addressed and overcome.