SSI2 163 A

Possible topics for a first paper

The next writing assignment to be given is a first research paper.  Figure on a paper of about five to seven pages in length (I'll try to get an approximate word count to you).

We have just begun our discussion on the history of early geometry, not all of our possible topics have yet been discussed.  Several topics have been introduced through the first essay, and you should consider your first essay topic (or that of someone else) to be a possible topic for either of the term papers this term.  You may also want to pick up a topic from topics yet to be discussed.  My plan (at the moment) for the rest of the semester includes:

• Euclid and his Elements
• The library and mathematics of Alexandria
• Archimedes
• The classic problems of antiquity
• Ptolemy the Astronomer
• Geometry in India
• Geometry in China
• Geometry in the Arabic world
• The story of the book:  The transmission of the Elements through the Arabic world and its return into Europe.
• The development of non-Euclidean geometry and (Klein's words) the rise of uncertainty in Mathematics.

You should feel free (and encouraged) to pick one of those topics that is (or might be) of interest to you and pursue it in advance of our classroom discussions.  I am happy to talk with you about possibilities, and point you in the direction of resources.

Our first deadline for the first research paper is next Thursday (please see Essays.htm for the details).  I would like everyone to send me, sometime over this weekend, some ideas that you might have in advance of that deadline so that we can discuss them.  Next Thursday's meeting will be primarily to hear from you about

1. Your first essay (I intend to ask you about your topic, why it interested you, what interesting thing you learned, and to read a paragraph of your choice from your first essay)
2. Your topic and thesis statement for this first research paper.