History and methodology of applied mathematics and computer science
Lecturer: Ph.D., Associate Professor Volkanov D.Yu.
Lectures take place on Thursdays at 12:50 in the P-8 auditorium. There is also a Zoom broadcast available.
The aim of the course is to demonstrate the unity of the sections of mathematics, as well as the interrelation of concepts and methods. The course presents the general context of mathematical thinking as a cultural form of activity, defined both by the structural features of mathematical knowledge and by the place of mathematics in the system of sciences.
In particular, the following tasks are set:
- to create an understanding of how methods, concepts, and ideas of applied mathematics and computer science were originated and developed, and how computational technology was created;
- to define the role and place of applied mathematics and computer science in the history of civilization’s development;
- to demonstrate the connection between technical progress and the development of computational technology;
- to establish connections between different sections of applied mathematics, computer science, and other disciplines.
The course consists of five sections. The first part of the course deals with general concepts relevant to computer science (algorithm, information, computation), as well as the history and establishment of Moscow State University and the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics. A periodization of the history of mathematics according to Kolmogorov is introduced. The second part of the course is dedicated to the formation of mathematics as a science from Ancient Egypt and Babylon to the Renaissance. The third part of the course examines the history of mathematics during the scientific and technological revolution of the 17th to 19th centuries. Particular attention is paid to the machines of Schickard, Pascal, Leibniz, and Babbage. The fourth part of the course is devoted to the development of the national mathematical school and philosophical directions in mathematics. The fifth part of the course is dedicated to the development of computational technology and programming languages.
Exams schedule:
22.12.2021 (Thursday) aud. 526б – 12:00 (presentations)
22.12.2021 (Thursday) aud. 526б – 14:30 (questionnaire)
26.12.2021 (Monday) aud. 526б – 09:00 (presentations + questionnaire)
29.12.2021 (Thursday) aud. 526б – 09:00 (comission)
Lecture materials (lecture slides use materials from B.A. Gladkikh and Yu.S. Nalbandyan):