I have to argue a little with John's statement below... Archimedes didn't
use Calculus. With all due respect to John and PBS... He used a calculation
method called "Method of Exhaustion" common to the 'ancient' Greeks. I point
you to a simple explanation at http://www.ima.umn.edu/~arnold/graphics.html.
Even Reviel Netz's Nov 01 2002 Science mag article does not imply that
Archimedes 'used' calculus. The truly astonishing thing is that Archimedes
knew of and attempted to use the concept of infinity. Conventional wisdom
states the Greeks shunned infinity and never dealt with it. Apparently
Eureka-Man did.
However, to take the leap to the statement that "Archimedes used Calculus"
is akin to saying that Newton used Quantum Mechanics. Each, Archimedes and
Newton, used methods, created conclusions, and laid important foundations
that were needed for future developments, yes. However, as Newton was fond
of saying, "...it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants." (Or
was that David?...)
Daryl L. Taylor, Fizzix Guy
PAEMST '96
Internet Educator of the Year '03
Williamstown HS & Engineering Academy, Rowan University NJ
www.DarylScience.com <http://www.DarylScience.com>
609.330.9571
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-----Original Message-----
From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu]On Behalf
Of John Cockman
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 9:35 AM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: Re: Numbers
Archimedes used calculus and the concept of infinity in the third century
B.C.