Robert Recorde - Tudor Polymath, Expositor and Practitioner of Computation (Paperback, 2011 ed.)

The 16th-Century intellectual Robert Recorde is chiefly remembered for introducing the equals sign into algebra, yet the greater significance and broader scope of his work is often overlooked.

"Robert Recorde: Tudor Polymath, Expositor and Practitioner of Computation" presents an authoritative and in-depth analysis of the man, his achievements and his historical importance. This scholarly yet accessible work examines the latest evidence on all aspects of Recorde s life, throwing new light on a character deserving of greater recognition.

Topics and features: presents a concise chronology of Recorde s life; examines his published works; "The Grounde of Artes," "The Pathway to Knowledge," "The Castle of Knowledge," and "The Whetstone of Witte"; describes Recorde s professional activities in the minting of money and the mining of silver, as well as his dispute with William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke; investigates Recorde s work as a physician, his linguistic and antiquarian interests, and his religious beliefs; discusses the influence of Recorde s publisher, Reyner Wolfe, in his life; reviews his legacy to 17th-Century science, and to modern computer science and mathematics.

This fascinating insight into a much under-appreciated figure is a must-read for researchers interested in the history of computer science and mathematics, and for scholars of renaissance studies, as well as for the general reader."