In the method of indivisibles, lines were conceived to be made up of points, surfaces of lines,and solids of surfaces; and such suppositions have bee… - Colin MacLaurin

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In the method of indivisibles, lines were conceived to be made up of points, surfaces of lines,and solids of surfaces; and such suppositions have been employed by several ingenious men for proving the old theorems, and discovering new ones, in a brief and easy manner. But as this doctrine was inconsistent with the strict principles of geometry, so it soon appeared that there was some danger of its leading them into false conclusions: therefore others, in the place of indivisible, substituted infinitely small divisible elements, of which they supposed all magnitudes to be formed; and thus endeavoured to retain, and improve, the advantages that were derived from the former method for the advancement of geometry.

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About Colin MacLaurin

Colin Maclaurin (February 1698 – 14 June 1746) M'Laurine, or MacLaurin, was a Scottish mathematician who made important contributions to geometry and algebra. He is also known for being a child prodigy and holding the record for being the youngest professor. The Maclaurin series, a special case of the Taylor series, is named after him.

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Also Known As

Native Name: Colin Maclaurin Cailean MacLabhruinn
Alternative Names: Colin M'laurine

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Additional quotes by Colin MacLaurin

This determined me, immediately after that Piece came to my hands, and before I knew any thing of what was intended by others in answer to it, to attempt to deduce those Elements after the manner of the Antients, from a few unexceptionable principles, by Demonstrations of the strictest form.

Several Treatises have appeared while this was in the press, wherein some of the same Problems have been considered, though generally in a different manner. I have had occasion to mention most of them in the last Chapter of the second Book; but had not there an opportunity to take notice, that the Problem in 480 has been considered by Mr. Euler in his Mechanics.

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I accommodated my Definition of the Variation of Curvature in Chap. xi. to Sir Isaac Newton's, to prevent mistakes, as I have observed in Article 386, but made no material alteration in any thing else.

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