Hypatia of Alexandria: Mathematician and Martyr

Hypatia of Alexandria: Mathematician and Martyr

Hypatia, -415
Mathematicians -- Egypt -- Biography
Women mathematicians -- Egypt -- Biography
Philosophers -- Egypt -- Biography
Women philosophers -- Egypt -- Biography
Alexandrian school

"Alexandria in 412 CE was a venerable city that honored and preserved great learning. But it was also a city wracked by religious conflict that finds echoes in our own time. Within this maelstrom we find Hypatia, a woman of great intellectual achievement and known as the world's greatest mathematician. Friend and foe alike noted her stunning beauty, her devoted celibacy, and her remarkable popularity as a teacher of mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. Yet her devotion to paganism and to the preservation of the rich mathematical heritage of her era threatened the Christian establishment, whose leaders believed that numbers were demonic and magical. For the heresy of continuing her work, her teaching, and her pursuit of the truth, Hypatia paid with her life at the hands of a Christian mob. Some contemporary sources claim that St. Cyril, bishop of Alexandria, ordered her death." "Mathematician and historian Michael A.B. Deakin tells the story of this feminist icon who became a martyr to reason and knowledge. Using the limited sources available, Deakin creates an account of the historical milieu of fifth-century Egypt, its intellectual climate in which Hypatia flourished, and the caldron of warring religious factions that threatened to boil over. He also includes detailed discussions of the mathematical formulations Hypatia sought to preserve for generations to follow, the attitudes and lifestyle from which she gained strength, and her philosophical position that threatened the power of the church and led to her gruesome death. Through all this, a picture emerges of a well-rounded life dedicated to cultivating the mind." "In this first full biography of Hypatia that provides an analysis of her lasting contributions to mathematics and her role in the preservation of Greek mathematical knowledge in the face of Christian opposition, Deakin also includes the complete sources for Hypatia's life in English translation." "This is a thought-provoking book for mathematicians and lovers of history, as well as anyone interested in a life devoted to the pursuit of truth and knowledge."--Jacket.

Michael A.B. Deakin

Amherst, N.Y. : Prometheus Books

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