On the Removal of Infinities from Divergent Series
Författare
Summary, in English
The consequences of adopting other definitions of the concepts of sum and convergence of a series are discussed in the light of historical and epistemological contexts. We show that some divergent series appearing in the context of renormalization methods cannot be assigned finite values while preserving a minimum of consistency with standard summation, without at the same time obtaining contradictions, thus destroying the mathematical building (the conditions are known as Hardy’s axioms). We finally discuss the epistemological costs of accepting these practices in the name of instrumentalism.
Avdelning/ar
- Matematik LTH
- Dynamical systems
Publiceringsår
2015
Språk
Engelska
Sidor
13-13
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal
Volym
29
Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
University of Exeter. School of Education
Ämne
- Other Mathematics
Nyckelord
- divergent series
- Signification
Status
Published
Forskningsgrupp
- Analysis and Dynamics
- Dynamical systems
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 1465-2978