David Rabouin - Böcker

Generality is a key value in scientific discourses and practices. Throughout history, it has received a variety of meanings and of uses. This collection of original essays aims to inquire into this diversity. Through case studies taken from the history of mathematics, physics and the life sciences, the book provides evidence of different ways of understanding the general in various contexts. It aims at showing how collectives have valued generality and how they have worked with specific types of "general" entities, procedures, and arguments.The books connects history and philosophy of mathematics and the sciences at the intersection of two of the most fruitful contemporary lines of research: historical epistemology, in which values (e.g. "objectivity", "accuracy") are studied from a historical viewpoint; and the philosophy of scientific practice, in which conceptual developments are seen as embedded in networks of social, instrumental, and textual practices. Each chapter provides a self-contained case-study, with a clear exposition of the scientific content at stake. The collection covers a wide range of scientific domains - with an emphasis on mathematics - and historical periods. It thus allows a comparative perspective which suggests a non-linear pattern for a history of generality. The introductory chapter spells out the key issues and points to the connections between the chapters.

This monograph presents an interpretive essay on the foundations of Leibniz’s calculus, accompanied by key texts in English translation. The essay examines Leibniz's evolving views on infinitesimals and infinite numbers, tracing their development from his early metaphysical ideas to his mature justifications of the calculus.Leibniz first proposed treating infinitesimals as fictions in the 1670s, in line with the mathematical practices of his time, where abstract concepts could be used in calculations without implying their existence. By 1676, he rejected their status as quantities, yet continued to refine his arguments on this topic into the 1690s.The essay concludes with an analysis of Leibniz’s defense of his calculus in the early 18th century, showing how his later works naturally extended from earlier insights. This monograph will be a valuable resource for scholars and students of Leibniz and the history of science.

Through recent volumes of the scientific letters and mathematical papers series of the Academy Edition scholars have obtained a much richer textual basis on which to conduct their studies - material which allows readers to see interconnections between his philosophical and mathematical ideas which have not previously been manifested.