Geometry in Society A historical Perspective
Of all areas of Mathematics, Geometry is the most directly available to everybody. Geometry is hidden in each building, even though we tend to admire only the exquisite ones, like the Dome in Florence or the Notre Dame. Similarly, many paintings may be analysed from the point of view of perspective, and the words "Let no man ignorant of geometry enter here," inscribed above the door of Plato's Academy are a common knowledge. In short, Geometry is all around us.
In his 1935 book Geometry and Art in the Past, the geometer František Kadeřávek explained the subtle connections between Geometry, Architecture, and even human life itself, noting that "the disciple of masonry [...] knew well that the masonry trowel levels the unevenness of the plaster, that the plum line will always end up in the vertical. These tools always reminded him that by his behaviour, he must always be a sincere man with an upright spine, free, who does not bow and scrape to anybody."
On the superficial level, knowledge of Geometry had to be demonstrated by novices to the craft: the ability to perform the complex construction underlying the signature in stone was a sort of an entrance test. Teaching of Geometry at schools have required patience and skilful teachers and it has also involved spatial imagination. It has been taught through Euclid's Elements, but also through less rigid forms in drawing classes.
In the wake of the 19th century, Alexander von Humboldt said that "whatever relates to extent and quantity may be represented by geometrical figures". Soon, the perception of Geometry underwent a major change as a result of the discovery of non-Euclidean geometries, in which Riemann's habilitation lecture also played a role.
Hand in hand with the radical evolution of the understanding of Geometry as a science that is not always intuitive, the use of the well-known intuitive elementary geometry brought wealth and esteem. In Bohemia, the architect Josef Hlávka used his wealth to promote Science and founded the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts in 1890 and acted as its first President. Around the turn of the 20th century, the eminent mathematician David Hilbert began his foundational work in the mathematical sciences by publishing Grundlagen der Geometrie, while other branches of mathematics should have followed.
Choosing a suitable geometric interpretation was also an issue connected with Einstein's relativity theory, where dealing with the curvature of the space time was a major challenge, keeping the differential geometers busy throughout the interbellum and even beyond.
We invite scholars to send abstracts of their proposed talks (between 200 and 500 words) to jan.kotulek@vsb.cz by 15 May 2024. Notification of acceptance by 20 May 2024.
Topics include, but are not limited to the history of:
- mutual connections of Geometry and Arts, of Geometry and Physics, etc.
- Geometry and spatial imagination (History of Mathematics Education),
- Geometry in Engineering, Nomography and other outdated disciplines ,
- History of geometric models.
Selected papers may be published in a special issue of the journal History of Sciences and Technology https://dvt-journal.cz/en/ (ISSN 0300-4414 print, 2788-3485 online).
Conference fee: EUR 30 or CZK 600, payable on site or
through bank transfer.
Contact e-mail: hdurnova@ped.muni.cz