Chapter 2

 Hello twins.

The following is a response to Chapter 1 of "The Crest of the Peacock", a book covering the non-European roots of mathematics.

My first observation was the sheer interconnectedness between civilizations across the globe that were involved in the spread of mathematics. I was shocked at how many significant cultural influences and contributions were left out in the traditional Eurocentric perspective. I believe it is important to recognize how many cultures across different periods played a role in math history. The cross-pollination of ideas was vital in advancing the discipline and demonstrated the power of these ancient collaborations.  The sharing and transfer of knowledge between civilizations is impressive considering one could not take a plane ride or make a phone call to communicate. I clearly underestimated how vital the transportation and exchange of ideas were to the development of modern mathematics.

I also find it fascinating to compare how certain mathematical principles have shared contrasts between cultures. While there are certain similarities, each civilization has come up with unique solutions to universal problems. For example, the Pythagorean theorem has been discovered in different forms across the globe. This reminds me of the long-standing debate on whether mathematics was invented or discovered. Today we often take math for granted without considering the rich history behind its discovery. I found this reading quite meaningful when considering how vast the roots of mathematics are in the history of human civilization. 

Thanks for reading,

Josh