Philosophy and Fun of Algebra: Free Audiobook and Listening Guide

Philosophy and Fun of Algebra, credited to Mary Everest Boole, is available as a LibriVox volunteer audiobook. This guide identifies the recording, its source summary and its audio tracks.

About the work

The LibriVox catalogue summary, preserved with the recording, reads:

LibriVox recording of Philosophy and Fun of Algebra, by Mary Everest Boole. Read by Patricia Oakley. Mary Everest Boole (1832-1916) was born Mary Everest in England and spent her early years in France. She married mathematician George Boole. She was the author of several works on teaching and teaching mathematics in particular. This short book, Philosophy and Fun of Algebra, is meant to be read by children and introduces algebra and logic. She uses the word "algebra" broadly, defining it as a "method of solving problems by honest confession of one's ignorance". Using this definition, Boole introduces, in a conversational manner, the concepts of logic and algebra, illustrating these concepts with stories and anecdotes, often from biblical sources. At times, her discussion seems somewhat mystical, speaking of the imagination and angels as messengers which guide one toward the next step in a logical investigation. Boole ends the book with a reminder that algebra's essential element is "the habitual registration of the exact limits of one's knowledge" and a call for the public to keep this principle in mind when encountering any situation. (Summary written by Patricia Oakley)

Recording facts

• Recording title: Philosophy and Fun of Algebra
• Author credits: Mary Everest Boole
• Language: English
• Original MP3 tracks: 18
• Listed recording duration: 1:41:14

Catalogue topics

• children
• nonfiction
• mathematics

Track guide

1. 01 - From Arithmetic to Algebra — 8:38
2. 02 - The Making of Algebras — 5:03
3. 03 - Simultaneous Problems — 4:54
4. 04 - Partial Solutions.. Elements of Complexity — 4:08
5. 05 - Mathematical Certainty... — 3:42
6. 06 - The First Hebrew Algebra — 10:38
7. 07 - How to Choose Our Hypotheses — 12:04
8. 08 - The Limits of the Teacher — 6:14
9. 09 - The Use of Sewing Cards — 4:22
10. 10 - The Story of a Working Hypothesis — 7:54
11. 11 - Macbeth's Mistake — 7:05
12. 12 - Jacob's Ladder — 2:35
13. 13 - The Great x of the World — 4:18
14. 14 - Go Out of My Class-Room — 4:20
15. 15 - Square Root of Minus One — 3:04
16. 16 - Infinity — 4:26
17. 17 - From Bondage to Freedom — 5:46
18. 18 - Appendix — 2:08

Listen to this recording

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Source and rights

This is a record from LibriVox's official Internet Archive collection, with a public-domain licence recorded in its metadata. LibriVox's policy includes its catalogue summaries as well as its recordings. Its public-domain assessment follows United States law; copyright status can differ elsewhere. The summary and track facts are reproduced and reformatted from that record. Dates attached to the archive upload are not treated as original book publication dates.