Cogwheels of the Mind: the Story of Venn Diagrams

Science News, July 3, 2004

COGWHEELS OF THE MIND: The Story of Venn Diagrams

A.W.F. EDWARDS

The idea is simple Three overlapping circles intersect to create eight distinct areas Despite their simplicity, such diagrams can be used to represent complex logical propositions and algebraic statements In charting the history of Venn diagrams, Edwards reveals that John Venn devised the diagrams in the late 1880s in an effort to create a symbolic logic, Since then, the diagrams have permeated art and economics, as well as mathematics and logic. Edwards surveys these applications and considers other diagrammatic schemes, including that of Charles Dodson (a.k.a Lewis Carroll) as well as presenting his own take on venn diagrams--the seven-set Adelaide variation. John Hopkins, 2004, 110 p., color/b&w photos/illus., hardcover, $25.00.