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Alfonso's Rectifying the Curved: ?a Fourteenth-Century Hebrew Geometrical-Philosophical Treatise (2021)

Alfonso's Rectifying the Curved

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"Alfonso's Rectifying the Curved" by Ruth Glasner, Avinoam Baraness is a mathematics book and learning resource focused on Core Mathematics. Best for teachers, students, and readers looking for stronger mathematical understanding.

This volume offers a new English translation, introduction, and detailed commentary on Sefer Meyasher 'Aqov, (The Rectifying of the Curved), a 14th-century Hebrew treatise on the foundation of geometry. The book is a mixture of two genres: philosophical discussion and formal, Euclidean-type geometrical writing. A central issue is the use of motion and superposition in geometry, which is analyzed in depth through dialog with earlier Arab mathematicians. The author, Alfonso, was identified by Gita Gluskina (the editor of the 1983 Russian edition) as Alfonso of Valladolid, the converted Jew Abner of Burgos. Alfonso lived in Castile, rather far from the leading cultural centers of his time, but nonetheless at the crossroad of three cultures. He was raised in the Jewish tradition and like many Sephardic Jewish intellectuals was versed in Greek-Arabic philosophy and science. He also had connections with some Christian nobles and towards the end of his life converted to Christianity. Driven by his ambition to solve the problem of the quadrature of the circle, as well as other open geometrical problems, Alfonso acquired surprisingly wide knowledge and became familiar with several episodes in Greek and Arabic geometry that historians usually consider not to have been known in the West in the fourteenth century. Sefer Meyasher 'Aqov reflects his wide and deep erudition in mathematics and philosophy, and provides new evidence on cultural transmission around the Mediterranean.

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Best For: Readers interested in historical and philosophical aspects of geometry, particularly those studying medieval Hebrew mathematical texts.
Focus: Translation and commentary on a 14th-century Hebrew treatise combining philosophical discussion with Euclidean-style geometry.
Covers: The foundational concepts of geometry, including the use of motion and superposition, analyzed through historical dialogue with earlier Arab mathematicians.
Why It Matters: It provides insight into medieval geometric thought and the integration of philosophy and mathematics in a historical context.

"Alfonso's Rectifying the Curved" by Ruth Glasner, Avinoam Baraness is a mathematics book and learning resource focused on Core Mathematics. Best for teachers, students, and readers looking for stronger mathematical understanding.

Topic: Core Mathematics

Author: Ruth Glasner, Avinoam Baraness

Who this is for:

  • Teachers and classroom instructors
  • Students building subject mastery
  • Readers looking for practical learning support

Why this book matters: It stands out as a practical math resource that helps explain concepts, strengthen problem-solving, and support classroom or independent learning.

This volume offers a new English translation, introduction, and detailed commentary on Sefer Meyasher 'Aqov, (The Rectifying of the Curved), a 14th-century Hebrew treatise on the foundation of geometry. The book is a mixture of two genres: philosophical discussion and formal, Euclidean-type geometrical writing. A central issue is the use of motion and superposition in geometry, which is analyzed in depth through dialog with earlier Arab mathematicians. The author, Alfonso, was identified by Gita Gluskina (the editor of the 1983 Russian edition) as Alfonso of Valladolid, the converted Jew Abner of Burgos. Alfonso lived in Castile, rather far from the leading cultural centers of his time, but nonetheless at the crossroad of three cultures. He was raised in the Jewish tradition and like many Sephardic Jewish intellectuals was versed in Greek-Arabic philosophy and science. He also had connections with some Christian nobles and towards the end of his life converted to Christianity. Driven by his ambition to solve the problem of the quadrature of the circle, as well as other open geometrical problems, Alfonso acquired surprisingly wide knowledge and became familiar with several episodes in Greek and Arabic geometry that historians usually consider not to have been known in the West in the fourteenth century. Sefer Meyasher 'Aqov reflects his wide and deep erudition in mathematics and philosophy, and provides new evidence on cultural transmission around the Mediterranean.

AuthorRuth Glasner, Avinoam Baraness
PublisherSpringer
Published2020-11-27
ISBN-139783319773025
BindingHardcover
LanguageEnglish
SubjectsMathematics
TopicCore Mathematics
SeriesSources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physic

Format: Hardcover

Language: English

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