Credit: ©The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.15339

    Diagrams

    Date
    17th century
    Creator
    Unknown, Artist
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Manuscript page number
    p1
    Material
    Dimensions
    height (page): 314mm
    width (page): 198mm
    Subject
    Description
    These are John Collins's counter suggestions to Thomas Hobbes's endeavour to invalidate the doctrine of John Wallis in his Arithmetica infinitorum (1656). Hobbes and Wallis had been entangled in a long-lasting debate about Wallis's methodology ever since its publication.

    Collins here is trying to prove, against Hobbes's opinions, that arithmetic can be used satisfactorily for the solving of mathematical problems.
    Transcription
    The Answer of John Collins of a Paper of Mr. Hobbs ~ endeavouring to invalidate the doctrine of Dr Wallis in his Arithmetica Infinitorum

    "But that even this Arithmetick is not only admirable for Invention but satisfactory suo genere we come not to shew."
    Transcribed by the Making Visible project
    Related fellows
    John Collins (1625 - 1683, British) , Mathematician, Mathematician
    John Wallis (1616 - 1703, British) , Mathematician
    Associated place
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          > United Kingdom
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