A History of the Mathematical Theory of Probability, from the Time of Pascal to that of Laplace

by Isaac Todhunter

"Although Todhunter's textbooks continued in use for many years after his death, his reputation rests on the contribution he made to the history of mathematics ... In all of these historical works], Todhunter gave a close and carefully reasoned account of the difficulties involved and the solutions offered by each investigator. His studies and use of source materials were thorough and fully documented."--Margaret Baron in the "Dictionary of Scientific Biography
--important survey of the history of probability
--wide-ranging and thorough bibliographical sourcing

Genres: Mathematics, Science, History

644 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1949

About the author

English mathematician known for his writings on the history of mathematics.

Reviews

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most authoritive 19th century history of the development of modern probability theory. Modern readers will not find it easy to read. By modern standards, the prose is dense. The mathematical notation is somewhat antiquated. But for those who are interested in where modern probability came from, it is indispensible. The book was reprinted a few years ago in a bulky paperback edition. There are also electronic, PDF, editions on the web. Todhunter was a very interesting chronicler of the development of mathematical ideas. He also wrote on the history of the Calculus.