This paper investigates the cultural and scientific context which led Abbot Guido Grandi to devise a particular family of curves similar to flower petals known as “Geometric Flowers”. This provides a framework for assessing the transition from old to new theories of science, overcoming general principles and assumptions adopted by the Greek school in solving classical geometric problems, and using new theories by european mathematicians, specifically Newton and Leibniz. A prominent case is the popular Florentine enigma, i.e. Viviani’s squarable surface, which provided a quick method for solving a specific type of problem and contributed to the appreciation of new mathematical-geometric theories.
Rodonee, Clelie ed altre curve, incrociando l’enigma fiorentino.
GALLOZZI, Arturo
2012-01-01
Abstract
This paper investigates the cultural and scientific context which led Abbot Guido Grandi to devise a particular family of curves similar to flower petals known as “Geometric Flowers”. This provides a framework for assessing the transition from old to new theories of science, overcoming general principles and assumptions adopted by the Greek school in solving classical geometric problems, and using new theories by european mathematicians, specifically Newton and Leibniz. A prominent case is the popular Florentine enigma, i.e. Viviani’s squarable surface, which provided a quick method for solving a specific type of problem and contributed to the appreciation of new mathematical-geometric theories.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
