MAX-PLANCK-INSTITUT FÜR WISSENSCHAFTSGESCHICHTE Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

Event

Oct 11, 2024
Public Talk by Prof. Dr. Clemency Montelle: History of Mathematics in the Indian Subcontinent

Folio from the work Līlāvatī (1150 CE) of Bhāskara.
Folio from the work Līlāvatī (1150 CE) of Bhāskara. The Wellcome Collection, MS Oriental Indic Beta 249, f. 14r. wellcomecollection.org/works/an9d3cbm.

 

The astral sciences in the Indian subcontinent—mathematics, astronomy, and related disciplines—have thrived for over two and a half millennia. This rich culture of inquiry has yielded profound insights and techniques that form the bedrock of modern scientific practices, including the base-ten decimal place value system and trigonometry. Despite India’s prolific production of millions of manuscripts over this period, a mere fraction have been identified and studied in depth. This talk will explore some of the mathematical highlights of this scientifically dynamic tradition and address the challenges faced by historians of mathematics in comprehensively accounting for the scientific legacy of this extensive and rich culture of inquiry.

 

Biography

  • Portrait of Clemence Montelle
    Clemency Montelle

    Professor Montelle (University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand) is a renowned historian of mathematics, specializing in the early cultures of inquiry. Her research focuses on deciphering ancient mathematical texts from Mesopotamia, Greece, India, and the Islamic Near East. Through her expertise in philology and meticulous analysis, Professor Montelle has made significant contributions to our understanding of the development and transmission of mathematical knowledge across civilizations.

Organizer(s)
Address
MPIWG, Boltzmannstraße 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Room
Main Conference Room
Contact and Registration

To register for the event, please email astra@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de, providing your name and affiliation by Monday, October 7, 2024. Since places may be limited, please indicate if you wish to attend in person or remotely via Zoom.

Download Event Poster
2024-HistoryMathematicsIndianSubcontinent-rgASTRA-Poster-AMisra.pdf
2024-10-11T10:30:00SAVE IN I-CAL 2024-10-11 10:30:00 2024-10-11 12:30:00 Public Talk by Prof. Dr. Clemency Montelle: History of Mathematics in the Indian Subcontinent Folio from the work Līlāvatī (1150 CE) of Bhāskara. The Wellcome Collection, MS Oriental Indic Beta 249, f. 14r. wellcomecollection.org/works/an9d3cbm.   The astral sciences in the Indian subcontinent—mathematics, astronomy, and related disciplines—have thrived for over two and a half millennia. This rich culture of inquiry has yielded profound insights and techniques that form the bedrock of modern scientific practices, including the base-ten decimal place value system and trigonometry. Despite India’s prolific production of millions of manuscripts over this period, a mere fraction have been identified and studied in depth. This talk will explore some of the mathematical highlights of this scientifically dynamic tradition and address the challenges faced by historians of mathematics in comprehensively accounting for the scientific legacy of this extensive and rich culture of inquiry.   Biography Clemency Montelle Professor Montelle (University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand) is a renowned historian of mathematics, specializing in the early cultures of inquiry. Her research focuses on deciphering ancient mathematical texts from Mesopotamia, Greece, India, and the Islamic Near East. Through her expertise in philology and meticulous analysis, Professor Montelle has made significant contributions to our understanding of the development and transmission of mathematical knowledge across civilizations. MPIWG, Boltzmannstraße 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany Main Conference Room Anuj Misra Anuj Misra Europe/Berlin public