Mathematical Treasure: Works of Hermann Weyl

Author(s):

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University)

Hermann Weyl (1885-1955) was a German mathematician, theoretical physicist and philosopher. He fled Nazi oppression, obtaining a position in the United States at Princeton University’s Institute for Advanced Study. A talented scholar and writer, he published several notable works. Some of his early works are referenced here.

In 1913, Weyl published a book on Riemann surfaces, Die Idee der Riemannschen Fläche. The title page and table of contents are shown below, together with the first page of the text, which starts with the concept of an analytic function.

Title page of Die Idee der Riemannschen Flache by Hermann Weyl, 1913

Table of contents of Die Idee der Riemannschen Flache by Hermann Weyl, 1913

First page of Die Idee der Riemannschen Flache by Hermann Weyl, 1913

In 1918, Weyl wrote on the arithmetical foundations of mathematics in Das Kontinuum. The title page and table of contents are shown below:

Title page of Das Kontinuum by Hermann Weyl, 1918

Table of contents of Das Kontinuum by Hermann Weyl, 1918

In 1919, Weyl published Raum. Zeit. Materie. (Space, Time and Matter). The title page is shown below, together with the first two pages of the text, which begins with a discussion of the mathematical properties of space.

Title page of Raum. Zeit. Materie. by Herman Weyl, 1919

First page of Raum. Zeit. Materie. by Herman Weyl, 1919

Second page of Raum. Zeit. Materie. by Herman Weyl, 1919

These three works, the first two from the University of Toronto and the last from the University of Illinois, can be viewed in their entirety on the Internet Archive.

Index to Mathematical Treasures

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: Works of Hermann Weyl," Convergence (March 2019)

Convergence

Tags:

History of Mathematics