The Proof Is in the Pudding: The Changing Nature of Mathematical Proof (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780387489087)

Krantz takes the reader on a journey around the globe and through centuries of history, exploring the many transformations that mathematical proof has undergone from its inception at the time of Euclid and Pythagoras to its versatile, present-day use. The author elaborates on the beauty, challenges and metamorphisms of thought that have accompanied the search for truth through proof. The commentary and insights create a seamless thread throughout the many vignettes. Though there are many truths to be discovered in this book, by the end it is clear that there is no formalized approach or standard method of discovery to date. This is shown in noting some of the more prominent discussions currently underway. Most of the proofs are discussed in detail with figures and some equations accompanying them, allowing both the professional mathematician and those less familiar with mathematics to derive the same joy from reading this book.