Authors:
- Introduces new methodological tools to explore economic texts for mathematical practice
- Shows the importance mathematics has as a tool for ancient practitioners to cope with complex economic processes
- Presents historians of mathematics a method to study practical texts
Part of the book series: Why the Sciences of the Ancient World Matter (WSAWM, volume 4)
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Table of contents (10 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
About this book
This book presents a novel methodology to study economic texts. The author investigates discrepancies in these writings by focusing on errors, mistakes, and rounding numbers. In particular, he looks at the acquisition, use, and development of practical mathematics in an ancient society: The Old Babylonian kingdom of Larsa (beginning of the second millennium BCE Southern Iraq). In so doing, coverage bridges a gap between the sciences and humanities.
Through this work, the reader will gain insight into discrepancies encountered in economic texts in general and rounding numbers in particular. They will learn a new framework to explain error as a form of economic practice. Researchers and students will also become aware of the numerical and metrological basis for calculation in these writings and how the scribes themselves conceptualized value.
This work fills a void in Assyriological studies. It provides a methodology to explore, understand, and exploit statistical data.The anlaysis also fills a void in the history of mathematics by presenting historians of mathematics a method to study practical texts. In addition, the author shows the importance mathematics has as a tool for ancient practitioners to cope with complex economic processes. This serves as a useful case study for modern policy makers into the importance of education in any economy.Keywords
- Practical Mathematics in Old Babylonian Period
- SPVN in Economic Texts
- Middeke-Conlin on Early Scribal Education
- Practical Mathematics in an Ancient Society
- Discrepancies Encountered in Rounding Numbers
- A Methodology to Exploit Statistical Data
- Method to Study Practical Texts for Historians of Mathematics
- Assyriological Studies
- Kingdom of Larsa
- Numerical and Metrological Basis
- Second Millennium BCE
- Error as a Form of Economic Practice
Authors and Affiliations
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Berlin Center for the History of Knowledge, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin, Germany
Robert Middeke-Conlin
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Making of a Scribe
Book Subtitle: Errors, Mistakes and Rounding Numbers in the Old Babylonian Kingdom of Larsa
Authors: Robert Middeke-Conlin
Series Title: Why the Sciences of the Ancient World Matter
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35951-5
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: History, History (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-35950-8Published: 12 March 2020
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-35953-9Published: 12 March 2021
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-35951-5Published: 11 March 2020
Series ISSN: 2662-9933
Series E-ISSN: 2662-9941
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XXII, 487
Number of Illustrations: 135 b/w illustrations
Topics: History of Science, History of Mathematical Sciences, Mathematics Education, Measurement Science and Instrumentation