The Emergence of Calculus: A Mathematical Journey of Human Thought

Ali
27 min readJul 20, 2024
William Blake’s Newton (1795) | Source: Wikipedia

Almost fifteen years ago, I found myself nestled by a library window, a spot I still cherish today. It was a rainy day, and I loved watching the raindrops dance against the glass. As I opened my book to where I had paused, one sentence quickly captured my imagination. The author introduced himself as “a curious character” and proclaimed, “I have to understand the world, you see.” This heartfelt statement resonated deeply with me as a young, inquisitive math student. It was such an “Aha” moment for me and it struck me like a lightning bolt, sparking such excitement that I wished I could treat everyone in the library to a cup of tea and engage in lively discussions about the book until dawn.

“I have to understand the world, you see.” Surely you’re joking, Mr. Feynman!, p.231

I was instantly drawn to the author’s name: Richard Feynman, a celebrated physicist and thinker. After immersing myself in his book, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!” I eagerly explored more of his writings, including “The Pleasure of Finding Things Out.” I even devoured every documentary and interview featuring him that I could track down. Feynman possessed a unique perspective on life that captivated my imagination. In one memorable BBC interview for the series Horizon, he…

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Ali

Math Teacher. Content Curator. Soccer player. Maradona fan. Mostly write about the lectures I love to learn better. alikayaspor@gmail.com