Blog 4 - More about Euclid
If I could meet any mathematician and chat over dinner, I would choose the one and only Euclid. I didn't think there would ever be a class where I would actually enjoy writing proofs, but Euclidean Geometry changed that for me.
Through trying to learn more about Euclid, I found that there isn't a lot known about his early life - when or where he was born, his early childhood, his family life. He is commonly referred to as the "Father of Geometry", and he is said to have founded and taught at a school in Alexandria where he wrote his book The Elements, a book that is split into 13 separate books, each one focusing on a different topic in geometry. Alexandria is a town in Egypt that is currently the second largest city in Egypt, playing a major role in Egypt's economy. It lies on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and was said to be founded by Alexander the Great. In its early years, it was a very popular place for scholars to travel to, as it was one of the most intellectual locations at the time.
Something I found interesting through taking the course on Euclidean Geometry, is that the class itself is almost structured in the same way that his books were broken into. First we started with becoming familiar with his axioms, understanding what they say and what they mean, and how we can apply them. Then we continued with these axioms and used them as explanations for many proofs regarding other aspects of Euclidean Geometry.
I would like to sit down with Euclid and find out all of the things that are still left unknown about him. What was his experience like growing up? What was it like living in a town that was known as an intellectual capital of the ancient world? What was his journey with math as a child? What drew him into the realm of geometry? Why not another area of math? I would just like to have a sneak peek into his thoughts, history and interests.
I feel like Euclid and I would have a few things in common with our mathematical backgrounds. I obviously would not have the levels of mathematical experience as Euclid, but if through talking with him and learning how he was drawn the geometry, I think we would have a little bit to talk about in that area. I have always been more drawn to geometry than algebra or calculus, mainly because I was better at it. It was much easier for me to visualize something that was right in front of me than it was to visualize something that was abstract. I think that is another reason I would like to get in Euclid's head for a day.
The mysteries of Euclids early life are intriguing to me, and just one of the many reasons I would like to learn more about him.
Through trying to learn more about Euclid, I found that there isn't a lot known about his early life - when or where he was born, his early childhood, his family life. He is commonly referred to as the "Father of Geometry", and he is said to have founded and taught at a school in Alexandria where he wrote his book The Elements, a book that is split into 13 separate books, each one focusing on a different topic in geometry. Alexandria is a town in Egypt that is currently the second largest city in Egypt, playing a major role in Egypt's economy. It lies on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and was said to be founded by Alexander the Great. In its early years, it was a very popular place for scholars to travel to, as it was one of the most intellectual locations at the time.
Something I found interesting through taking the course on Euclidean Geometry, is that the class itself is almost structured in the same way that his books were broken into. First we started with becoming familiar with his axioms, understanding what they say and what they mean, and how we can apply them. Then we continued with these axioms and used them as explanations for many proofs regarding other aspects of Euclidean Geometry.
I would like to sit down with Euclid and find out all of the things that are still left unknown about him. What was his experience like growing up? What was it like living in a town that was known as an intellectual capital of the ancient world? What was his journey with math as a child? What drew him into the realm of geometry? Why not another area of math? I would just like to have a sneak peek into his thoughts, history and interests.
I feel like Euclid and I would have a few things in common with our mathematical backgrounds. I obviously would not have the levels of mathematical experience as Euclid, but if through talking with him and learning how he was drawn the geometry, I think we would have a little bit to talk about in that area. I have always been more drawn to geometry than algebra or calculus, mainly because I was better at it. It was much easier for me to visualize something that was right in front of me than it was to visualize something that was abstract. I think that is another reason I would like to get in Euclid's head for a day.
The mysteries of Euclids early life are intriguing to me, and just one of the many reasons I would like to learn more about him.
I love the metric of a mathematician you'd like to have dinner with. This would make a good exemplar with a little more content. Of course, one of your points is that we don't know more about Euclid. Maybe about Alexandria where he lived, or his historical context in Greek mathematics. Or maybe briefly cover #2 and #3 on your list, that will make Euclid stand out all the more.
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