While in the midst of my boredom this summer, a friend suggested that I research about different mathematicians throughout history. I seized upon this idea and decided I could use such information for blog entries…since I seem to be fresh out (and have no math classes to inspire me until September). However, getting myself to actually do it is another story. I’ve had this giant book full of biographies of mathematicians from the past to the present (well…around 1990s) sitting in my room for the past month. And rather than returning it to the library unused, I decided I might as well do at least one entry to see if that will get me going to do more. So this is the start (and hopefully not the end) of a series of brief biographies (emphasis on brief). I’m going to try and hold off on the REALLY well-known mathematicians (like Einstein…although I might do him just because…but maybe I’ll wait until next Pi Day since that IS his birthday). And if anyone has any suggestions for mathematicians, please leave it in a comment. With that said (well...typed), ¡vaminos!
René Descartes
Descartes was a French geometer, algebraist, and philosopher. He discussed and formulated ideas about the nature of knowledge that were important to the Enlightenment. He also created the idea that laws of nature are constant, and they are sufficient to explain natural phenomena. Descartes felt that truth was clear and available to the ordinary human intellect, if the search for truth was directly correctly.
René du Perron Descartes was born on March 31, 1596 in the province of Touraine, France. In the Jesuit school he attended, he learned Latin, humanities, philosophy, and mathematics. But while at school, he realized that, with the exception of mathematics and geometry, he had learned nothing that was absolute truth. He first saw mathematics only as the servant of mechanics, but was struck “by the certainty of its proofs and the evidence of its reasonings”.
(That last part...the "certainty" and "evidence" part...it's one of the main reasons I love math...and decided not to be an English major.)
He earned a law degree at University of Poitiers, but became a gentleman soldier because the law did not interest him. (Take that lawyers! Heehee...) He later gave up the military life and traveled for several years studying glaciers, making meteorological observations, and computing the heights of mountains. (Now there's a life study.)
Descartes’ masterpice A Discourse on the Method of rightly conducting the Reason and seeking Truth in the Sciences. Further, the Dioptric, Meteors, and Geometry, essays in this Method was published in 1637. (Whew…that’s a long title.) Descartes’ Geometry revolutionized mathematics and provided the foundation for what is now known as analytic geometry. It enabled the use of algebra for the discovery and investigation of geometrical theorems. He introduced the use of coordinates, by which is possible to begin with equations of any degree of complexity and interpret their algebraic and analytic properties geometrically.
In 1649, Descartes accepted an invitation to tutor 20-year old Queen Christina of Sweden. She put him to work “writing verses and a pastoral comedy, and planning a Swedish academy of science”. She also insisted that he meet with her at five in the morning when her mind was most active. (Whose brain is active at five in the morning?!) The early hours and the cold winter quickly took their toll on Descartes. (My professors must be very glad they can set their own schedules...) On February 1, he contracted pneumonia and died in Stockholm on February 11, 1650. His skull is supposedly on display at the Musée de l’Homme in the Palais de Chaillot.
Notable mathematicians from ancient times to the present. Detroit: Gale, 1998.
Until next time! ^_^
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