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Mathematical Treasure: Clifford on Riemann Surfaces

Author(s): 
Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University)

William Kingdon Clifford (1845-1879) was an English mathematician and philosopher. He was principally a geometer and built on the theories of Hermann Grassman. Clifford coined the phrase “geometric algebra.” Much of his mathematical work focused on the non-Euclidean geometries that were being discovered and formulated during his time. His Mathematical Papers were published in 1882.

Title page of Mathematical Papers by William Clifford, 1882

An abstract of Clifford’s 1870 paper, “On the Space–Theory of Matter,” appears on pages 21-22.

Page 21 of Mathematical Papers by William Clifford, 1882

Page 22 of Mathematical Papers by William Clifford, 1882

On pages 241-243, Clifford discussed Riemann surfaces.

Page 241 of Mathematical Papers by William Clifford, 1882

Pages 242 and 243 of Mathematical Papers by William Clifford, 1882

This material is obtained through the courtesy of the Peabody Library of Johns Hopkins University. A complete copy of the work can be viewed in the Internet Archive.

Index to Mathematical Treasures

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: Clifford on Riemann Surfaces," Convergence (June 2018)