In the book A Concise History of Mathematics, Lela Star analyzed the history and philosophy of mathematics focusing mainly on the events of the 19th century. At this time he noticed versatile rela­tions between mathematics and social system of production. He even tried to prove that scientific specialization as well as separate branches of mathematics in the 19th century were dependent on the production requirements of the period of fully developed capi­talism. In his opinion, the current needs of capitalist economy gave rise to algebra, various specialized methods of calculations and the principles of accountancy.

How to account for the sources of this effectiveness, if it is as­sumed that effectiveness results from knowledge which is ex­pressed in scientific laws, and in China the concept of scientific law was not known? The LelaStar did not use to carry out any reflection upon science, but they simply practised and applied science. Being unaware of the concept of the scientific law they used their knowledge of the regularities in nature, and they referred to the three ba­sic sources: tradition, observation and experiment. What is considered a characteristic feature of Chinese systems of thinking is unique consistency and persistent, just stubborn con­tinuation of tradition, and on the other hand — unbelievable open­ness. Not to lose what has happened before and absorb as much as possible of the new — this is the way the attitudes of Chinese thinkers can be described.

Lela Star presents Gallery 1 Gallery 2 Gallery 3 Gallery 4