Person: Boole, George
George Boole approached logic in a new way reducing it to a simple algebra, incorporating logic into mathematics. He also worked on differential equations, the calculus of finite differences and general methods in probability.
Mathematical Profile (Excerpt):
- After a year he went to a commercial school run by Mr Gibson, a friend of John Boole, where he remained until he was seven years old.
- When he was seven George attended a primary school where he was taught by Mr Reeves.
- Having learnt Latin from a tutor, George went on to teach himself Greek.
- By this time George was attending Bainbridge's Commercial Academy in Lincoln which he had entered on 10 September 1828.
- Boole did not study for an academic degree, but from the age of 16 he was an assistant school teacher at Heigham's School in Doncaster.
- In 1838 Robert Hall, who had run Hall's Academy in Waddington, died and Boole was invited to take over the school which he did.
- At this time Boole was studying the works of Laplace and Lagrange, making notes which would later be the basis for his first mathematics paper.
- Boole was unable to take Duncan Gregory's advice and study courses at Cambridge as he required the income from his school to look after his parents.
- Boole had begun to correspond with De Morgan in 1842 and when in the following year he wrote a paper On a general method of analysis applying algebraic methods to the solution of differential equations he sent it to De Morgan for comments.
- It was published by Boole in the Transactions of the Royal Society in 1844 and for this work he received the Society's Royal Medal in November 1844.
- Boole was appointed to the chair of mathematics at Queens College, Cork in 1849.
- In May 1851 Boole was elected as Dean of Science, a role he carried out conscientiously.
- Boole began to give Mary informal mathematics lessons on the differential calculus.
- Boole approached logic in a new way reducing it to a simple algebra, incorporating logic into mathematics.
- It began the algebra of logic called Boolean algebra which now finds application in computer construction, switching circuits etc.
- Boole himself understood the importance of the work.
- Boole also worked on differential equations, the influential Treatise on Differential Equations appeared in 1859, the calculus of finite differences, Treatise on the Calculus of Finite Differences (1860), and general methods in probability.
- Many honours were given to Boole as the genius in his work was recognised.
- She put Boole to bed and threw buckets of water over the bed since his illness had been caused by getting wet.
- He published his "Computation or Logique" he had a remote glimpse of some of the points which are placed in the light of day by Mr Boole.
- Boolean algebra has wide applications in telephone switching and the design of modern computers.
- Boole's work has to be seen as a fundamental step in today's computer revolution.
Born 2 November 1815, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. Died 8 December 1864, Ballintemple, County Cork, Ireland.
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Tags relevant for this person:
Algebra, Geometry, Origin England
Mentioned in:
Definitions: 1 2
Parts: 3
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References
Adapted from other CC BY-SA 4.0 Sources:
- O’Connor, John J; Robertson, Edmund F: MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
