Ibrāhīm Ibn Sinān was one of the most famous scientists of the tenth century. His specialities were geometry, logic and philosophy of mathematics. In this volume, three new hypotheses are presented.
The first one concerns the existence and the development of philosophy of mathematics in Arabic, independently of traditional metaphysics and philosophy. It is mainly concerned with the logic of discovery and the logic of proof. The second hypothesis concerns the development of a new chapter in mathematics devoted to geometrical transformations. The close connection between astronomy and mathematics, used to develop this last chapter, is discussed in the third hypothesis.
The book presents a critical edition done for the first time and based on all available manuscripts, French translations, and long historical and mathematical commentaries.
Roshdi Rashed, Doctorat d'État in History and Philosophy of Sciences, is Directeur de Recherche au CNRS, Honorary Professor at the University of Tokyo. Among his most recent publications: Les Mathématiques infinitésimales du IXe au XIe siècle, 2 vols. (al-Furqān, 1996); Les Catoptriciens grecs. I: Les miroirs ardents (Les Belles Lettres, 2000).
Hélène Bellosta, Docteur en épistémologie et histoire des sciences, Paris 7, Agrégée de l'université, Chercheur à l'Institut Français d'Études Arabes de Damas (IFEAD), Membre du Centre d'histoire des sciences et des philosophies arabes et médiévales.
'The book is essential reading for everyone interested in the development of Arabic language mathematics in the period of its important development.'
Mathematical Abstracts, 2002.
All those interested in the history of philosophy and in history of mathematical sciences, Historians of philosophy, historians of mathematics and sciences, historians of Islamic thought.
