|
|
Tenzan jutsu: Revolution in Traditional Japanese Mathematics
Vitvar, Tomáš ; Labus, David (advisor) ; Sýkora, Jan (referee)
Proposed paper is a study of historical development of wasan, i.e., traditional Japanese mathematics. I chiefly focus on the origin of tenzan jutsu, a calcula- tion method, that by its inner logic and by usage of a symbolic notation greatly resembles Western algebra. As there is no satisfying evaluation of a level of similarity of those two traditions in an existing literature, I decided to closely examine tenzan jutsu using a theory of potentialities of language of mathemat- ics proposed by Ladislav Kvasz. Comparing my examination and analysis of Western algebra done by L. Kvasz, I came to a conclusion, that although the language of tenzan jutsu is in most aspects almost identical to the language of Western algebra, there is a major difference in a way those languages developed. While the development of the Western algebra was hindered by a cultural need to interpret exponents in a geometrical context and by a strong reluctance to accept negative terms as a part of equation, the development of Japanese math- ematics, which was free of such restrictions, was considerably more dynamic. Keywords tenzan jutsu, wasan, Tokugawa, Edo, Seki Takakazu, Seki Kowa, algebra, math- ematics, tengen jutsu, Ladislav Kvasz, language of mathematics
|
guest ::
