Lessons from history. Leonardo meets Archimedes

Abstract

In this contribution an analysis of Leonardo’s texts aimed at establishing some connections with the texts of Archimede of Syracusa is presented. In particular, we will analyze how Archimede and Leonardo interpreted the concept of infinitesimal, originally formulated by Aristotle, highlighting how Leonardo properly applied the concept of potential infinitesimal in the case of the circle squaring and highlighting how in real cases he was able to fully grasp the concept of physical infinitesimal, interpreted as a finite and suitably small quantity.