[extropy-chat] palpable math

[scerir]

Nicholas Saunderson, English mathematician, was born at Thurlstone,
Yorkshire, in January 1682. When about a year old he lost his sight through
smallpox; but this did not prevent him from acquiring a knowledge of Latin
and Greek, and studying mathematics. In 1707 he began lecturing at Cambridge
on the principles of the Newtonian philosophy, and in November 1711 he
succeeded William Whiston, the Lucasian professor of mathematics in
Cambridge. He was created doctor of laws in 1728 by command of George II.,
and in 1736 was admitted a member of the Royal Society. He died of scurvy,
on the I 9th of April 1739. Saunderson possessed the friendship of many of
the eminent mathematicians of the time, such as Sir Isaac Newton, Edmund
1-lalley, Abraham Dc Moivre and Roger Cotes. His senses of hearing and touch
were extraordinarily acute, and he could carry on mentally long arid
intricate mathematical calculations. He devised a calculating machine or
abacus, by which he could perform arithmetical and algebraical operations by
the sense of touch; this method is sometimes termed his palpable arithmetic,
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an account of which is given in his elaborate Elements of Algebra (2 vols.,
Cambridge, 1740). Of his other writings, prepared for the use of his pupils,
the only one which has been published is The Method of Fluxions (I vol.,
London, 1756). At the end of this treatise there is given, in Latin, an
explanation of the principal propositions of Sir Isaac Newton's philosophy.
Whiston was followed by Nicolas Saunderson in 1711in to the Lucasian
Professorship of Mathematics at Cambridge University, he spent his time
teaching algebra. It was said that he was preferred for the Lucasian Chair
because he had no religion, following Whiston, who had too much. His only
published work was produced at the end of his life and only with strong
encouragement from his friends. He had not been able to attend the
university because of his blindness, a consequence of smallpox at the age of
one, but he had been educated with help from his family and friends. He held
the Chair for about twenty-eight years, until his death, helping to
stabilize it after the Whiston Affair. King George II was so impressed with
him, he conferred a doctorate on him. Saunderson invented a device for
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calculations using pins placed in the eight positions on a square at the
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corners and midpoints of each side, and one more point at the center. He
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used a larger pin to represent one. To represent numbers, he would move the
pin to new positions around the perimeter, using several of these squares
for large numbers and calculations.
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Immortal proofs: http://plus.maths.org/issue16/features/perigal/

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Zero. Among the Maya-quiche, there is still the habit of
counting the days of the week starting from 0, i.e. the present day
for instance Friday, is counted 0 because it is already passing over,
while only the next-day is 1, and so on ....

One. An hour after midnight has passed, the clock strikes once.
Zero is soundless ...

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