Principia Mathematica [Second edition]

Cambridge: At the University Press, 1927. Second Edition. Cloth. Very good. Second Edition. We offer a set of the second edition, first printings of this important work in the publisher's matching blue bindings (10.5 x 7 inches). Bumped corners overall, minor wear to the bindings. A sound set.

By volume:
Vol I (first printing, 1925). xlvi, [1]-674, [2] pages. Scratching and wear to the binding, especially at the corners. Overall wear, splash mark to top of page edges. Penciled marginalia scattered throughout the text. Ruja and Blackwell A9.2a
Vol II: (first printing, 1927). xxxi, [1], 742, [2] pages. Bookplate of "Huntington Harris" (truncated) dated 1938 affixed to front pastedown. Ruja and Blackwell A9.2a.
Vol III: (first printing, 1927) viii, 491, [1] pages. Binding with some soiling to front board. Bookplate of "Huntington Harris" dated 1938 affixed to front pastedown. There are two known states of this volume. The first state has some errors at the head of p 323, and has gilt titles on the spine. The second state fixes those errors, but has silver titles on the spine. This is a mixed state not recorded by Ruja and Blackwell with the corrections, but still with gilt titles. Ruja and Blackwell A9.2a.

OFFERED WITH:
Vol I: (second printing, 1935). xlvi, 674, [2] pages. A second Volume 1 with the bookplate of "Huntington Harris" dated 1938 affixed to front pastedown, BUT the second printing. This volume matches Vol II and III (the same bookplate). Ruja and Blackwell A9.2b.

Apparently the previous owner had the matching set with Huntington Harris bookplates but wanted a complete set of first printings, hence the second Vol I included here. Cloth. "...the most elaborate attempt up to that time to develop the fundamental notions of arithmetic from a precise set of axioms." (Boyer, A History of Mathematics Second edition). "Taken as a whole, the Principia fills a double role. First, it constitutes a formidable effort to prove, or at least make plausible, the philosophical thesis best described by Russell in his 'The Principles of Mathematics: That all pure mathematics deals exclusively with concepts definable in terms of a very small number of fundamental logical concepts, and that all its propositions are deducible from a very small number of fundamental logical principles.' ... commonly expressed by the assertion that logic furnishes a basis for all mathematics....The second role of the 'Principia' is the enrichment of mathematics with an impressive system, based on a thoroughly developmed mathematical logic and a set theory free of paradoxes, by which a substantial part of the body of mathematical knowledge becomes organized. The 'Principlia' is considered to be not only a historical masterpiece of mathematical architecture, but also of contemporary value insofar as it contains subtheories that are still very useful." (DSB, XIV, p304)

This second edition includes a new introduction and three additional appendices in Volume 1.

LITERATURE:
Blackwell, Kenneth and Ruja, Harry, "A Bibliography of Bertrand Russell, Volume 1, Separate Publications, 1896-1990", Routledge: 1994. (Inventory #: 29434)