Translator of Diophantus and Brahmagupta
Algorismus, iranian translator [1] beter known during the arab occupation as Al-Khwarizmi, is
without any contest the diophantus translator ever better known in the history of mathematics.
He has not "created" algebra , it is only an arab’s legend [2].
Other cases of usurpation in mathematics
— The Fermat ’s theorem was proved by Andrew Wiles. Fermat only talked about the
theorem saying that he possessed the solution without any demonstration. Today the
theorem is quoted asd Fermat-Wiles. Tomorrow the theorem will be quoted as Wiles
theorem.
— The hindu-arabic digits are in facts hindu digits. During the arab invasion of India,
Arabs has exterminated the many part of the indian population (indian genocide or
Hindu Kush), and copied (plagiarism) the hindu digits.
What the historical sources exactly says
Fallowing the works of Jens Hoyrup, professor at the university of Roskilde, we learn that
Al-Khwarizmi (Algorismus in latin and in french) does not create the art (of mathematics) nor
the manner to calculate. According to him, Al-Khwarizmi only produces a digest of all the
mathematical techniques existing at this period [3]. He is not the «father of algebra» , he is only
the translator of the works of Brahmagupta and Diophante. Al-Khwarizmi confessed in a letter
adressed to the sultan that he was not the author of the techniques that he describes in his
treatise.
Rosen, who translates in english Al-Gabr w’al muqabala tell us that the vizier has demanded
to Al-Khwarizmi to translate mathematical books and has encouraged him to write a treatise
(Rosen : «That he was not the inventor of the Art is now well established»), synthesis of the
different translations[4]. According to Morris Kline, emeritus professor at the Courant Institute of
Mathematical Sciences (New York University), the Arabs don’t use the symbolism. The «algebra»
they used use purely rhetorical, and in comparison to Hindus and Diophantus , a step behind[5]
(page 192). According to him, they introcuced even a regression in arithmetic because they
refused to use negative numbers, well-known at this period [5].
Nicolas Bourbaki, famous group of french mathematicians, in the chapter devoted to the
evolution of algebra don’t talk about Arabs, except to evoke the translations of the results
of greek and hindu mathematics. [6] (page 70). In the chapters devoted to linear algebra and
commutative algebra, no trace, no quote of any Arab. [6] (pages 78-91), One can summarize this
by saying that the contribution of the Arabs in the great history of mathematical is microscopic.
When we open the "Encyclopedia of mathematics" and we read the heading "algèbra" , there is
no contest : «Arithmetic of Diophantus (III rd century A.D.) has had a major influence on the
development of algebraic ideas and symbols"(...) François Viète, end of XVIth century, was the
first to use the letters of the alphabet to indicate the constants and the variables of a problem.
Most of the symbols of today were known in the middle of the XVIth century, who is a benchmark
of the end of the prehistory of algebra [7] (page 73) Morris Kline [10] take his time in his book
«Mathematical Tought» to explain the origin of the word algebra, coming from the latin algebra.
He explain that the word algebra is issued from spanish "algebrista", meaning «medical doctor
and barber» , coming from al-gabr (name ot the book of Diophantus’s translation done by Al-
Khwarizmi). By insisting on the origin of the word, we have no doubt that Morris Kline means
that algebrista is a tribute to doctors who saves life and not to a mean translator.
See akso The fabulous machine of Antikytera
Références
[1] Wikipedia : Algorismus, Disputatio : interpres ?,Wikipedia latin
[2] Saqr Abou Fakhr, Non, l’Occident ne doit rien aux Arabes, Le Courrier International, 29 juillet 2004,
http ://www.courrierinternational.com/article/2004/07/29/non-l-occident-ne-doit-rien-aux-arabes
[3] Jens Hoyrup, "Algèbre d’Al-gabr" et "algèbre d’arpentage" au neuvième siècle islamique et la question de
l’influence babylonnienne in D’Imhotep à Copernic, Cahiers d’Altaïr, pp 88-89, Peeters-Leuven, 1992
[4] Rosen, traduction anglaise d’Al-Gabr w’al muqabala,
http : //www.wilbourhall.org/pdfs/T heAlgebraofMohammedBenMusa2.pdf
[5] Morris Kline, Mathematical Thought From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume 1, Oxford University Press
[6] Nicolas Bourbaki, Eléments d’histoire des mathématiques, Masson, 1994
[7] Reidel, Encyclopedia of mathematics, Volume 1, Kluwer Academic Publisher, 1998
Akso availabke in french and in english :
