Ite ad Thomam: Sapientis Institute, Free Course!

Algebra

I remember a discussion of algebra (which included a brief mention of calculus) in a class with Dr. Andres. (The class covered part of St. Thomas' commentary on the De Trinitate? As for the actual name of the course... I'd have to look it up on the transcript.) Dr. Andres did not think it was math, since it did not involve actual quantity. I offered the opinion that it was a study of rules concerning operations or calculation. I think that now I would say that it is more like the study of the "logic" of calculations, though for many it does not go to this level, as it is just memorization. Hence, it can seem like it is a study of the rules of calculation. The reasoning behind the calculation is obscured or ignored while we do the operations in order to get results.