2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Study on Pascal's Calculating Machine
| Project/Area Number |
13610607
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
仏語・仏文学
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| Research Institution | OKAYAMA UNIVERSITY |
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Principal Investigator |
NAGASE Haruo Okayama University, Faculty of Letters, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (60135100)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2003
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| Keywords | Pascal / Calculating Machine |
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| Research Abstract |
The purpose of this study is to point out the originality of Pascal's thought by making a comprehensive. investigation into his calculating machine. We tried to deal with this subject from both a technical and a philosophical point of view, and planned tasks as follows : (1) to analyze Pascal's writings on his machine in detail ; (2) to evaluate contemporary documents on its performance ; (3) to examine closely technical problems caused in its operation or production ; (4) to estimate how this invention affected Pascal's way of thinking ; (5) to trans late into Japanese his whole writings on this machine, and to make up a detailed chronology accompanied with a complete bibliography concerning this subject.
These investigations brought us many results as follows
(1) We found out a real meaning of Pascal's writings. He made them up in order to defend his invention against two troubles : a poor-quality fake of Pascal's calculator and a criticism leveled at the complex structure of his machine.
(2) Introducing a theme of "violation of orders" into the analysis of Pascal's text, we could relate the invention of calculator to his thought developed in his Pensees.
(3) We worked out some unsettled problems, such as the date of invention of the calculator, verification of its superiority over the traditional calculation by "jetons", the process of improving its mechanism, etc.
(4) As for the translation into Japanese, the chronology and the bibliography, we carried out our plans.
In conclusion, this study led us to a true significance of the invention of the calculating machine for Pascal : it is no more a simple episode in his career nor a scientific work isolated from his thought, but it proved to have played an important part in the formation of his thinking.
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Research Products
(8 results)
