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Mikhail Katz
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Mikhail Katz
Mikhail Katz
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Abraham Robinson worked in applied mathematics for several decades. MathSciNet lists 12 articles by Robinson in wing theory. His production included the book

Robinson, A.; Laurmann, J. A. Wing theory. Cambridge, at the University Press, 1956.

The book is full of references to infinitesimals. Thus on page 36 one finds a reference to "infinitesimal horseshoe vortices of constant strength". Five years later Robinson published his first publication on infinitesimals in

Robinson, Abraham. Non-standard analysis. Nederl. Akad. Wetensch. Proc. Ser. A 64 = Indag. Math. 23 1961 432–440.

Are there any sources or references in the literature to a possible connection between Robinson's work exploiting infinitesimals in applied mathematics, on the one hand, and his eventual development of a rigorous mathematical theory thereof, on the other?

Note 1. I should add that Robinson's biographer J. Dauben was apparently unaware of the fact that Robinson's work in applied mathematics exploited "informal" infinitesimals extensively (at least I don't recall any mention of this in his book).

Abraham Robinson worked in applied mathematics for several decades. MathSciNet lists 12 articles by Robinson in wing theory. His production included the book

Robinson, A.; Laurmann, J. A. Wing theory. Cambridge, at the University Press, 1956.

The book is full of references to infinitesimals. Thus on page 36 one finds a reference to "infinitesimal horseshoe vortices of constant strength". Five years later Robinson published his first publication on infinitesimals in

Robinson, Abraham. Non-standard analysis. Nederl. Akad. Wetensch. Proc. Ser. A 64 = Indag. Math. 23 1961 432–440.

Are there any sources or references in the literature to a possible connection between Robinson's work exploiting infinitesimals in applied mathematics, on the one hand, and his eventual development of a rigorous mathematical theory thereof, on the other?

Abraham Robinson worked in applied mathematics for several decades. MathSciNet lists 12 articles by Robinson in wing theory. His production included the book

Robinson, A.; Laurmann, J. A. Wing theory. Cambridge, at the University Press, 1956.

The book is full of references to infinitesimals. Thus on page 36 one finds a reference to "infinitesimal horseshoe vortices of constant strength". Five years later Robinson published his first publication on infinitesimals in

Robinson, Abraham. Non-standard analysis. Nederl. Akad. Wetensch. Proc. Ser. A 64 = Indag. Math. 23 1961 432–440.

Are there any sources or references in the literature to a possible connection between Robinson's work exploiting infinitesimals in applied mathematics, on the one hand, and his eventual development of a rigorous mathematical theory thereof, on the other?

Note 1. I should add that Robinson's biographer J. Dauben was apparently unaware of the fact that Robinson's work in applied mathematics exploited "informal" infinitesimals extensively (at least I don't recall any mention of this in his book).

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Mikhail Katz
Mikhail Katz
  • 16.6k
  • 2
  • 54
  • 127

Is there a source linking Robinson's work in wing theory with his theory of infinitesimals?

Abraham Robinson worked in applied mathematics for several decades. MathSciNet lists 12 articles by Robinson in wing theory. His production included the book

Robinson, A.; Laurmann, J. A. Wing theory. Cambridge, at the University Press, 1956.

The book is full of references to infinitesimals. Thus on page 36 one finds a reference to "infinitesimal horseshoe vortices of constant strength". Five years later Robinson published his first publication on infinitesimals in

Robinson, Abraham. Non-standard analysis. Nederl. Akad. Wetensch. Proc. Ser. A 64 = Indag. Math. 23 1961 432–440.

Are there any sources or references in the literature to a possible connection between Robinson's work exploiting infinitesimals in applied mathematics, on the one hand, and his eventual development of a rigorous mathematical theory thereof, on the other?