Primary Research

Primary Research - Option D: Cultural Analysis

Possible Questions:       Why is the debate about the use of quaternions so polarized?

What is it about quaternions that make people feel so strongly about them?

Why has the debate about quaternions went on for so long?

      I plan to go through and analyzing the debate of the use of quaternions in math and physics in letters to Nature from the years 1880-1900. From the little of research I’ve done so far there seems to have been a heated debate that took place during these years concerning the use of quaternions. It is interesting to me that people feel so strongly one way or the other. I plan to read 2-3 of these letters from both perspectives and analyze and try to understand the motivations behind these letters. I would also like to supplement this with research of how this debate still exists today. The area where quaternions are used the most today is in 3 dimensional computer modeling to describe how objects rotate in space. Even in this field where quaternions are somewhat commonplace there still seems to be a debate going on, and seems to be equally polarized today as it was back at the end of the 19^th century. The people that advocate for the use of quaternions feel very strongly that they have some actual physical meaning that translates directly to the physical universe. Those that advocate against the use of quaternions think that they are pointless and almost silly, some calling them a waste of time.