近代日本における, 函数の概念とそれに関連したことがらの普及 (数学史の研究)

Abstract

This paper is a continuation of a previous paper [9] by the author and deals with a history of the spread of the concept of functions and related topics in Japan laying stress on the period from 1910s to 1945. The concept of functions was introduced into Japan around 1860, in learning elements of differential and integral calculus. Until the 1880s, only a small number of Japanese had any knowledge of functions. Since the last decade of the nineteenth century, the concept of functions has been spreading in Japan, though very slowly at first. The ideas of the reform of mathematical education, advocated by John Perry and Felix Klein, were introduced into Japan early in the twentieth century. As a result, functions and graphs were gradually introduced into school mathematics in Japan since the second decade of the twentieth century. However, the concept of functions was a subsidiary topic of school mathematics. In 1942, a drastic revision of the syllabi of the mathematics and natural science for secondary schools was made. The new syllabus of mathematics was intended to develop pupils mathematical thinking and creativity through their various activities. Emphasis was laid on utility and applications of mathematics. Functions played the leading role in the new syllabus. The syllabus was a Japanese reception of the ideas of the reform of mathematics education. Though the teaching of mathematics conforming to the syllabus was not carried out completely due to the war, functions have been playing an important role in school mathematics since then. An outline of this paper and the previous one ([9]) is given in [10].