Figuring it out: The role of diagrams in Greek geometrical proofs
speaker: Heike Sefrin-Weis (University of South Carolina)abstract: Taking my starting point from recent accounts of the role of diagrams in Greek geometrical proof, and looking at some examples from Pappus of Alexandria's Collectio, I will explore the following two, related, topics. Through the integration of diagrams into the very proof structure, Greek geometry reveals itself as a systematic exploration of figures, or spatial configurations. The 'logic' of the resulting proof strategies goes beyond propositional logic, and systematically so. We shall look at an example for illustration. Then we shall address the question if and how the Greek geometers implemented safeguards against pitfalls, saw and explored the limitations of their method, and also to what degree there was an attempt to systematically investigate geometrical method and its sub-types.
timetable:
Mon 17 Jun, 11:15 - 12:45, Sala Stemmi
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