The \textit{Liber restauracionis}: a newly discovered copy of a mediæval algebra in Florence (Q2631819)

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The \textit{Liber restauracionis}: a newly discovered copy of a mediæval algebra in Florence
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    The \textit{Liber restauracionis}: a newly discovered copy of a mediæval algebra in Florence (English)
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    16 May 2019
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    This is a contribution to ``the appropriation of the sciences of Islamic countries by European scholars''. It presents a new critical edition of the Latin text of the (according to Jens Høyrup) anonymous \textit{Liber restauracionis} (Book of restoration). The first critical edition is due to \textit{W. Kaunzner} [Arch. Hist. Exact Sci. 32, 1--16 (1985; Zbl 0572.01006); ``Die lateinische Algebra in MS Lyell 52 der Bodleian Library, Oxford, früher MS Admont 612'', in: Aufsätze zur Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften und Geographie. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. 47--89 (1986)]. The matter has been treated in the author's work [Rev. Hist. Math. 23, No. 2, 233--299 (2017; Zbl 1406.01008)] as well, where a French translation of the text can found. The main novelty vis-à-vis Kaunzner consists in the recent discovery of a new manuscript. There are now three manuscripts of the \textit{Liber restauracionis}: in the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, in the University of Oxford, Bodleian Library, and in the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale of Florence. Taking into account this last manuscript produces a more extensive critical apparatus than that presented by Kaunzner. The hypothesis is put forward ``that this text is an original Latin adaptation, rather than a possible Arabic-Latin translation of a version/adaptation of al-Khwārizmī's \textit{Algebra}''.
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    algebra
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    medieval studies
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    translation
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    critical edition
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    manuscript
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    algebraic symbolism
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    \textit{Liber restauracionis}
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