Secrets, Symbols, and Systems
Parallels between Cryptanalysis and Algebra, 1580-1700
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3589830 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Peter Pesic (0000-0001-5539-0518, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1997 |
| Volume | 88 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 674-692 |
| Publication date | 1997-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Isis (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0021-1753 • E-ISSN: 1545-6994 |
| Publisher | University of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1086/383851 |
| OpenAlex | W2018081825 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
Codebreaking was an important secret of state in early modern courts. Its practitioners included several important figures in the history of mathematics, particularly Francois Viete, whose innovations in method and symbolism were crucial for modern algebra. Viete formulated an "infallible rule" for decryption that uses concepts of symbol and system similar to those of his new algebra. As the Book of Nature began to be read in new ways, the example of codebreaking was noted by Bacon, Descartes, and Boyle. Leibniz considered cryptology to be a model for his "universal characteristic" and pressed John Wallis to disclose the general rules of cryptanalysis, citing the analogy with the methods of mathematics. The parallels between algebra and cryptanalysis illuminate the symbolism and methodical procedure characteristic of both activities
Abstract algebra · Algebra over a field · Algorithm · Analogy · Arithmetic · Cryptanalysis · Cryptography · Epistemology · Linguistics · Parallels · Pure mathematics · Symbol (formal · Computer Science · Diverse Historical and Scientific Studies · Engineering · History of Science and Medicine · Mathematics · Philosophy
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,24 |
| Citation span | 2001 - 2026 (26) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |