The Definitions of Number in Boethius’s Introduction to Arithmetic

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F61988987%3A17250%2F22%3AA2302F9B" target="_blank" >RIV/61988987:17250/22:A2302F9B - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://zenodo.org/record/6324938#.YoSr66hByUk" target="_blank" >https://zenodo.org/record/6324938#.YoSr66hByUk</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6241982" target="_blank" >10.5281/zenodo.6241982</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

The Definitions of Number in Boethius’s Introduction to Arithmetic

Original language description

The paper enquires into the reasons why Boethius altered the passage addressing the definition of number in his loose translation of Introduction to Arithmetic by the Neopythagorean philosopher and mathematician Nicomachus of Gerasa. While Nicomachus’s text contains three definitions of number, Boethius lists only two. However, he also pays attention to the definition he omits, even though he does not regard it as a proper definition. In his view it fails to embody the essence of number, and is to be understood as a description of the components constitutive of the substance of number. Although this is a possible explanation of Boethius’s dismissal of the definition provided by Nicomachus, the description also occupies an important place in relation to the general characteristic of number, because Nicomachus’s definitions fully correspond to the three basic topics which were central to contemporary arithmetic, viz. the science of number: number as discrete quantity, referring to the properties of numbers and their classifications; number as collection of units, leading to the topic of figural numbers; and number as quantity emanating from unit and subsequently returning to it, corresponding with numerical ratios, sequences and their transfers.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_SC - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the SCOPUS database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

60301 - Philosophy, History and Philosophy of science and technology

Project

—

Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2022

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Philosophical Readings

ISSN

2036-4989

e-ISSN

—

Volume of the periodical

—

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

IT - ITALY

Number of pages

11

Pages from-to

16-26

UT code for WoS article

—

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85129713417