The Mathematics of Infinity - (Pure and Applied Mathematics: A Wiley Texts, Monographs and Tracts) 2nd Edition by Theodore G Faticoni (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Writing with clear knowledge and affection for the subject, the author introduces and explores infinite sets, infinite cardinals, and ordinals, thus challenging the readers' intuitive beliefs about infinity. Requiring little mathematical training and a healthy curiosity, the book presents a user-friendly approach to ideas involving the infinite. Readers will discover the main ideas of infinite cardinals and ordinal numbers without experiencing in-depth mathematical rigor. Classic arguments and illustrative examples are provided throughout the book and are accompanied by a gradual progression of sophisticated notions designed to stun your intuitive view of the world. Infinity, we are told, is as large as things get. This is not entirely true. This book does not refer to infinities, but rather to cardinals. This is to emphasize the point that what you thought you knew about infinity is probably incorrect or imprecise. Since the reader is assumed to be educated in mathematics, but not necessarily mathematically trained, an attempt has been made to convince the reader of the truth of a matter without resorting to the type of rigor found in professional journals. Therefore, the author has accompanied the proofs with illustrative examples. The examples are often a part of a larger proof. Important facts are included and their proofs have been excluded if the author has determined that the proof is beyond the scope of the discussion. For example, it is assumed and not proven within the book that a collection of cardinals is larger than any set or mathematical object. The topics covered within the book cannot be found within any other one book on infinity, and the work succeeds in being the only book on infinite cardinals for the high school educated person. Topical coverage includes: logic and sets; functions; counting infinite sets; infinite cardinals; well ordered sets; inductions and numbers; prime numbers; and logic and meta-mathematics. "--

From the Back Cover

Praise for the First Edition

". . . an enchanting book for those people in computer science or mathematics who are fascinated by the concept of infinity."--Computing Reviews

". . . a very well written introduction to set theory . . . easy to read and well suited for self-study . . . highly recommended."--Choice

The concept of infinity has fascinated and confused mankind for centuries with theories and ideas that cause even seasoned mathematicians to wonder. The Mathematics of Infinity: A Guide to Great Ideas, Second Edition uniquely explores how we can manipulate these ideas when our common sense rebels at the conclusions we are drawing.

Continuing to draw from his extensive work on the subject, the author provides a user-friendly presentation that avoids unnecessary, in-depth mathematical rigor. This Second Edition provides important coverage of logic and sets, elements and predicates, cardinals as ordinals, and mathematical physics. Classic arguments and illustrative examples are provided throughout the book and are accompanied by a gradual progression of sophisticated notions designed to stun readers' intuitive view of the world.

With an accessible and balanced treatment of both concepts and theory, the book focuses on the following topics:

• Logic, sets, and functions

• Prime numbers

• Counting infinite sets

• Well ordered sets

• Infinite cardinals

• Logic and meta-mathematics

• Inductions and numbers

Presenting an intriguing account of the notions of infinity, The Mathematics of Infinity: A Guide to Great Ideas, Second Edition is an insightful supplement for mathematics courses on set theory at the undergraduate level. The book also serves as a fascinating reference for mathematically inclined individuals who are interested in learning about the world of counterintuitive mathematics.

About the Author

THEODORE G. FATICONI, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Fordham University. His professional experience includes forty research papers in peer-reviewed journals and forty lectures on his research to his colleagues.