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Mathematics is often seen, among non-mathematicians, as a technical instrument, useful for scientists, engineers, and businesspeople, but relatively obscure, and devoid of any connection with other areas of knowledge. In other words, the public at large (as well as the educational system) thinks of mathematics for its extrinsic value (applications) rather than for its intrinsic value (beauty, conquest of the human spirit). This is in striking contrast with other forms of culture. For example, we all understand that music has extrinsic value (entertainment, for example), but we also attribute to great musicians a special place in the cultural history of the world.
This book proposes that mathematics is indeed a major component of human culture, and great mathematics arose as a response to other cultural developments. It offers a set of snapshots in the history of the role played by mathematics in culture. The authors highlight and subsume the presence and force of mathematics in a set of case studies, providing a sketched historical framework that helps the reader to appreciate their value in the social and cultural context in which they were immersed.