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I asked this earlier on Science/Mathematics, but they seemed to be more about actual mathematics, than the history... So, I'm reposting here.
I often read endless adoring narratives of what a wonderful polymath da Vinci was. As having been a "scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist", (of course artist, sculptor etc.)
I have no issues with da Vinci's art chops. Mona Lisa wonderful. Last Supper great. What I take issue with is the mathematician and scientist etc.
I read math text books, and I find mention of Pythagoras, of Gauss, of Euler. I have _never_ _ever_ seen in an actual math book mention of anything mathematically related to da Vinci. My suspicion is that he didn't accomplish anything in math, and probably in any other scientific endeavor. But, in the interest of keeping it narrow, let's just talk about his contributions to mathematics. What if anything useful did Leonardo da Vinci contribute to mathematics? Or is the claim that Leonardo da Vinci was a great mathematician just so much bullsh*t, as I suspect?
I often read endless adoring narratives of what a wonderful polymath da Vinci was. As having been a "scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist", (of course artist, sculptor etc.)
I have no issues with da Vinci's art chops. Mona Lisa wonderful. Last Supper great. What I take issue with is the mathematician and scientist etc.
I read math text books, and I find mention of Pythagoras, of Gauss, of Euler. I have _never_ _ever_ seen in an actual math book mention of anything mathematically related to da Vinci. My suspicion is that he didn't accomplish anything in math, and probably in any other scientific endeavor. But, in the interest of keeping it narrow, let's just talk about his contributions to mathematics. What if anything useful did Leonardo da Vinci contribute to mathematics? Or is the claim that Leonardo da Vinci was a great mathematician just so much bullsh*t, as I suspect?