Mathematics as a social differentiating factor: Men of letters, politicians and engineers in Brazil through the nineteenth century

Abstract

Mathematics in Brazil at the beginning of the nineteenth century was an important element for the men of letters and Brazilian elite. This chapter traces the change in this dynamic over the century as mathematical abilities became an essential part of the identity of engineers. By that time, mathematical developments were aimed at satisfying engineering demands. The idea of a pure mathematics to identity a group separated from engineers, as in modern mathematics, occurred possibly in 1930s after the foundation of the first courses of mathematics in Brazil.