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Calculus was discovered in India (view source)
Revision as of 16:12, 22 July 2017
, 16:12, 22 July 2017no edit summary
== Background ==
For years, English scientist Isaac Newton and German philosopher Gottfried Leibniz both claimed credit for inventing the mathematical system sometime around the end of the seventeenth century.chester and Exeter says it knows where the true credit lies — and it's with someone else completely. The "Kerala school," a little-known group of scholars and mathematicians in fourteenth century India, identified the "infinite series" — one of the basic components of calculus — around 1350.
The beginnings of modern maths is usually seen as a European achievement buried under the brilliant strategy of <nowiki>''but the knowledge systems of India have been ignored or forgotten," he said. "The brilliance of Newton'</nowiki>s work at the end of the seventeenth century stands undiminished — especially when it came to the algorithms of calculus.
"But other names from the Kerala School, notably Madhava and Nilakantha, should stand shoulder to shoulder with him as they discovered the other great component of calculus — infinite series."
He argues that imperialist attitudes are to blame for suppressing the true story behind the discovery of calculus.
"There were many reasons why the contribution of the Kerala school has not been acknowledged," he said. "A prime reason is neglect of scientific ideas emanating from the Non-European world, a legacy of European colonialism and beyond."
However, he concedes there are other factors also in play.
"There is also little knowledge of the medieval form of the local language of Kerala, Malayalam, in which some of most seminal texts, such as the Yuktibhasa, from much of the documentation of this remarkable mathematics is written," he admits.
== Knowledge and Indian civilization ==
== Knowledge and Indian civilization ==
Most of the amazing science and technology knowledge systems of the modern world are credited to have started around the time of the Renaissance movement in Europe in ~ the 15th century. These knowledge systems are generally traced back to roots in the civilization of Ancient Greece, and occasionally, that of Ancient Egypt. Notably both these civilisations were destroyed, their indigenous population decimated or converted to Christianity or Islam by the invaders and their knowledge digested and presented as ancient knowledge. Hence, most of the heroes we are taught about in school and college are European or Greek.
Most of the amazing science and technology knowledge systems of the modern world are credited to have started around the time of the Renaissance movement in Europe in ~ the 15th century. These knowledge systems are generally traced back to roots in the civilization of Ancient Greece, and occasionally, that of Ancient Egypt. Notably both these civilisations were destroyed, their indigenous population decimated or converted to Christianity or Islam by the invaders and their knowledge digested and presented as ancient knowledge. Hence, most of the heroes we are taught about in school and college are European or Greek.