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Singing Euclid: the oral character of Greek geometry

Singing Euclid: the oral character of Greek geometry

Greek geometry is written in a style adapted to oral teaching. Mathematicians memorised theorems the way bards memorised poems. Several oddities about how Euclid’s Elements is written can be explained this way.

Opinionated History of Mathematics

June 21, 202040m 10s

Show Notes

Greek geometry is written in a style adapted to oral teaching. Mathematicians memorised theorems the way bards memorised poems. Several oddities about how Euclid’s Elements is written can be explained this way. Transcript Greek geometry is oral geometry. Mathematicians memorised theorems the way bards memorised poems. Euclid’s Elements was almost like a song book or … <a href="https://intellectualmathematics.com/blog/singing-euclid-the-oral-character-of-greek-geometry/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Singing Euclid: the oral character of Greek geometry</span></a>