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Analytical Book Review: Gauss: A Biographical Study

Analytical Book Review: Gauss: A Biographical Study

In the introduction to Gauss: A Biographical Story,

Walter Kaufman Buhler (1) states that his intent was to address his work "to the contemporary mathematician and scientist, not to the historian of science or the psychologist collecting the scalps of great men." Simply put, the focus of Buhler's (1) "biographical study" is to examine not solely the professional contributions of this important mathematician, but to place the life of Carl Friedrich Gauss in the context of the era in which he lived and the "extraordinary political and social developments" that characterized that era. Consequently, the reader should not expect that the text will dwell on the "products" of an admittedly great mind, but rather on linking those "products" not only to the scientist's personal life and the events that shaped and informed that life. One should also expect that Buhler's (2) "guidebook" will resonate most especially with those readers already somewhat knowledgeable regarding Gauss himself, the historical context in which he lived an work, and the work he produced and its place in mathematics and science.

As a guidebook, therefore, the reader understands that the structure of Buhler's work will be somewhat complex and comprehensive. Buhler is not content to simply present, in chronological order, the circumstances of the subject's life and the achievements of his career. Rather, Buhler moves from Gauss's childhood and youth to an analysis of the then-current political and social situation and on to Gauss's years as a student in Gottingen, Germany. Next, Buhler (18) presents the reader with an organization of Gauss's collected works, moving to discuss first the "number-theoretical work" and then the influence of Gauss's arithmetical work.

The balance of the 15 chapter text vacillates (and the word is well-chosen) between biography and commentary on the socio-political climate...

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Analytical Book Review: Gauss: A Biographical Study. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 07:40, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1706205.html