[HM] historiography of mathematics

Alfred Ross (Alfred.Ross@eudoramail.com)
Mon, 08 Feb 1999 12:35:48

I'm interested in the 'historical study' (and philosophical aspects)
of historiography of mathematics. This may include:

+ The study of the evolution of research methods
+ New subfields (within math history) that have been opened
up during this century (ethnomathematics, for instance)
+ The weight of (or different sensitivity to) 'interpretation'
+ Whiggism
+ The different approach to minority groups

Paul J Cohen once put it

This is our fate, to live with doubts, to pursue a subject
whose absoluteness we are not certain of, in short to realize
that the only "true" science is itself of the same mortal,
perhaps empirical, nature as all other human undertakings.

How historians have handled this "mortal nature" in their general
histories or papers? Is there any research essay to this respect?

What other issues ought to be considered part of a history/philosophy
for 'math history'?

Comments or references are appreciated.

Thank you,

Alfred Ross