Striving to the tops (to the anniversary of G. P. Matviyevskaya)

Authors

  • V. Onoprienko G.M. Dobrov Institute for Scientific and Technical Potential and Science History Studies of the NAS of Ukraine, Kiyv, Ukraine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15421/272008

Abstract

It is recreated stages and milestones of the creative development of G.P. Matvievskaya, an outstanding historian of mathematics, academician of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and full member of the International Academy of the History of Science, an evolution of research topics and dozens of books that have contributed to global science. Major research focus was taken by the work on archival collection of a great mathematician Leonard Euler for publication of his complete works. Having studied Latin and Arabic, Matvievskaya began to interpret the manuscripts of the great Arab scholars Ulugbek, Al-Khorezmi, "A treatise on commensurate and disproportionate quantities" of Ibn al-Baghdadi. This was followed by other Arabic treatises on theory of quadratic irrationalities. Their translations were included in her book “The Doctrine of Number in the Medieval Near and Middle East”, which was published in 1967. It was followed by the works on the history of mathematics in medieval Europe. By the mid- 20th century it was entrenched an opinion that Arabs successfully developed new computational techniques, but they did not master theoretical heritage of the ancient Greeks at all. Their merit was seen in translation of the works of Greek classics into Arabic, keeping them from oblivion, and then they were transmitted to Europe, where were comprehended and acted as a spur to the rapid development of mathematical theory. Matvievskaya was able substantially to adjust the stereotype: she showed that scientists from the countries in the Near and Middle East not only comprehended all the subtleties of ancient doctrine of numbers, but also significantly developed it. She is the author of numerous books on mathematical achievements of A. Durer, Ramus, R. Descartes, Soviet mathematicians V.I. Smirnov, V.I. Romanovsky and others. Since 1994 she has been living and working in Orenburg, has proceeded to the development of the rich archival heritage of the Orenburg region. She completed and published her father’s book about the first corresponding member of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences Peter Rychkov, her books on regional history about Vladimir Dal and Yakov Hanykov. It was published a course of lectures “History of Mathematics”. She became a member of the Union of Writers of Russia, was awarded literary prizes.

Published

2021-02-08