Plot Summary

Principia Mathematica

Alfred North Whitehead, Bertrand Russell
Guide cover placeholder

Principia Mathematica

Nonfiction | Reference/Text Book | Adult | Published in 1910

Book Brief

Alfred North Whitehead, Bertrand Russell

Principia Mathematica

Nonfiction | Reference/Text Book | Adult | Published in 1910
Book Details
Pages

680

Format

Reference/Text Book • Nonfiction

Setting

1910s

Publication Year

1910

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Principia Mathematica by Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell seeks to demonstrate that mathematics is a subset of logic, starting with propositional logic built on self-evident axioms and extending to number theory and arithmetic. Russell and Whitehead formalize the theory of types and posit that numbers arise from counting and set equivalence, ultimately grounding pure mathematics on logical principles.

Informative

Challenging

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.0

220 ratings

72%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

13%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Principia Mathematica by Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell receives high praise for its rigorous approach to mathematical logic, revolutionizing the field through formalism. However, its dense complexity and symbolic notation present significant challenges for readers lacking advanced mathematical training. Overall, it remains a seminal, if demanding, work.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Principia Mathematica?

A reader who enjoys Principia Mathematica by Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell is likely keen on advanced mathematical logic, philosophy, and foundational aspects of mathematics. Similar to aficionados of Gödel's Gödel, Escher, Bach and Frege's Begriffsschrift, they are intellectually curious and analytically minded.

4.0

220 ratings

72%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

13%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

680

Format

Reference/Text Book • Nonfiction

Setting

1910s

Publication Year

1910

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Buy This Book

We’re just getting started

Add this title to our list of requested Study Guides!