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Catalogue Information
Field name	Details
Dewey Class	510.9
Title	The Thread ([EBook]) : A Mathematical Yarn / by Philip J. Davis.
Author	Davis, Philip J. , 1923-
Other name(s)	SpringerLink (Online service)
Publication	Boston, MA : Birkhäuser , 1983.
Physical Details	XIV, 128 pages : online resource.
ISBN	9781468467246
Contents note	I. Tschebyscheff -- A book is born and a severe criticism is levelled at it. The famous Russian mathematician Tschebyscheff is introduced -- II. Cyril -- In which the author speculates on why it is hard to transliterate Russian words. His position on transliteration is made clear -- III. Watt -- How Watt’s steam engine led to the discovery of a great mathematical theory, and how theory and practice are often miles apart -- IV. Lipkin -- How a brilliant young man from Lithuania was scooped by a captain in the French army. The author finds a startling connection between the young man and himself. -- V. Pafnuty -- In which the author is struck by a strange mania, leading him first to the Nicean Creed and later to Boss Tweed of Tammany Hall fame -- VI. Theodora -- How a cucumber slicer fanned the flames of the author’s mania, and he received a letter from the banks of the Nile at Aswan -- VII. Paphnutius -- Of the Desert Fathers, including a hippopotamus story and stories about Paphnutius, the Holy Man of God -- VIII. Thäis -- In which the author speculates on the dialectical union of opposites, and how, in his mad pursuit, he is led to Hrotsvitha and to Oscar Wilde -- IX. Cadbury -- Always on Quest, the author travels to Tasmania. He eats custard at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, only to get his spelling criticized -- X. Yeti -- Airborne across the Eastern skies, the author, like jesting Pilate, wonders what truth is. He recalls several instances in which it is hard to know the truth -- XI. Lama Ted -- An incident in Rhode Island, involving prayer flags dropped from the Mount Hope Bridge, shows how the truth is elusive -- XII. Nadra -- In which the author meets an exilarch, encounters a wraparound motorcyclist, and spends the night in the Princess Room -- XIII. Herod -- The author, with head covered, stands at The Wailing Wall next to a black priest in a Roman collar. He ponders the nature of symbols -- XIV. Babnuda -- At Abu Nussar’s Nite Club, the author finds the Rock Bottom Resolution of his problem -- XV. The Man on the Moon -- How Tschebyscheff got to the moon. Loose threads for future tales -- Epilogue.
System details note	Online access to this digital book is restricted to subscription institutions through IP address (only for SISSA internal users)
Internet Site	http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6724-6
Links to Related Works	Subject References: History . History of Mathematical Sciences . Mathematics . Mathematics - History . Authors: Davis, Philip J. 1923- . Davis, Philip J., 1923- . Corporate Authors: SpringerLink (Online service) . Classification: 510.9 .

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The Thread: A Mathematical Yarn

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