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Preface

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2014

Grigory Isaakovich Barenblatt
Affiliation:
University of California, Berkeley
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Summary

(1) Mechanics, the science of the motion and equilibrium of real bodies, is the oldest natural science created by humankind. Unlike other scientific disciplines, mechanics had no predecessors. Prehistoric human beings started to take their first steps in mechanics – apparently even before starting to speak – when they invented and improved their first primitive tools.

Later, when humankind took its first steps in mathematics, mechanics was the first field of application. The value of mechanics for mathematics was clearly emphasized by Leonardo da Vinci: “Mechanics is the paradise for mathematical sciences because through it one comes to the fruits of mathematics.”

Nowadays mechanics is an organic part of applied mathematics – the art of designing mathematical models of phenomena in nature, society and engineering.

The development of mechanics, and the recognition of its value, has not gone smoothly over the centuries. An analogy of mechanics with the phoenix comes to mind. This legendary bird has appeared with practically identical magical features in the ancient legends of many cultures: Egyptian, Chinese, Hebrew, Greek, Roman, native North American, Russian and others. The names were different: the name “phoenix” was coined by the Assyrians; Russians called it “zhar-ptitsa” (fire-bird). According to the legend, unlike all other living beings the phoenix had no parents, and death could never touch it. However, from time to time, when it was weakened, the phoenix would carefully prepare a fire from aromatic herbs collected from throughout the world and burn itself. Everything superfluous is burnt in the fire and a new beautiful creative life opens to the phoenix.

Type
Chapter
Information
Flow, Deformation and Fracture
Lectures on Fluid Mechanics and the Mechanics of Deformable Solids for Mathematicians and Physicists
, pp. xiii - xx
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2014

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  • Preface
  • Grigory Isaakovich Barenblatt, University of California, Berkeley
  • Book: Flow, Deformation and Fracture
  • Online publication: 05 June 2014
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139030014.002
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  • Preface
  • Grigory Isaakovich Barenblatt, University of California, Berkeley
  • Book: Flow, Deformation and Fracture
  • Online publication: 05 June 2014
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139030014.002
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Preface
  • Grigory Isaakovich Barenblatt, University of California, Berkeley
  • Book: Flow, Deformation and Fracture
  • Online publication: 05 June 2014
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139030014.002
Available formats
×