6533b81ffe1ef96bd1277032

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Tools, Human Development and Mathematics

John Monaghan

subject

Stone toolComputer scienceStraight edge010102 general mathematicsIndian mathematicsengineering.material01 natural sciencesHuman development (humanity)EpistemologyExperimental mathematicsMutual support0103 physical sciencesGreek mathematicsMathematics educationengineering010307 mathematical physics0101 mathematicsHuman speciesMathematics

description

This chapter raises a number of issues from pre-history and history that one mathematics educator considers ‘worthy of mention’ with regard to tools and mathematics. These issues are: tool use in the development of the human species (phylogenesis); tool use in a mathematical culture, ancient Greek mathematics that goes beyond the obvious tools; an example from ancient Indian mathematics that bears some resemblances to Jon’s experimental mathematics described in Chap. 3; the mutual support of hand, mind and artefact in expert use of an abacus; a consideration of a period (sixteenth-century Europe) where there was a rapid advance in the development of mathematical tools.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2016-01-01
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02396-0_4