Episodes from the history of infinitesimals

Mikhail G. Katz

doi:10.1080/26375451.2025.2474811

Episodes from the history of infinitesimals

Mikhail G. Katz

Department of Mathematics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Infinitesimals have seen ups and downs in their tumultuous history. In the eighteenth century, d'Alembert set the tone by describing infinitesimals as chimeras. Some adversaries of infinitesimals, including Moigno and Connes, picked up on the term. We highlight the work of Cauchy, Noël, Poisson and Riemann. We also chronicle reactions by Moigno, Lamarle and Cantor, and signal the start of a revival with Peano.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	123-135
Number of pages	13
Journal	British Journal for the History of Mathematics
Volume	40
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/26375451.2025.2474811
State	Published - 2025

Bibliographical note

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© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

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10.1080/26375451.2025.2474811

Cite this

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Episodes from the history of infinitesimals

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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