◀ ▲ ▶History / 19th-century / Person: Enriques, Abramo Giulio Umberto Federigo
Person: Enriques, Abramo Giulio Umberto Federigo
Federigo Enriques was an Italian mathematician who made important contributions to geometry and to the history and philosophy of mathematics.
Mathematical Profile (Excerpt):
- Paolo Enriques became Professor of Zoology at the University of Padua and did important work on genetics.
- Two years later, when he was thirteen, Federigo met geometry for the first time and became very enthusiastic about the subject.
- Of course, she was wrong about Enriques's new found love for geometry - it lasted his lifetime.
- Although it is not clear exactly what he taught Federigo, it is reasonable to assume that he made a highly significant contribution to the young boy's education teaching him topics not covered in the school syllabus.
- Federigo took his final school examinations in the summer of 1887.
- After his laurea degree, Enriques continued to study at Pisa for a year.
- In addition to Enriques, these were Luigi Berzolari, Mario Pieri, Alfonso Del Re, Fererico Amodeo, and Edgardo Ciani.
- it is apparent that Enriques, younger than most candidates, felt perhaps abnormally insecure about finding a stable position in a difficult world.
- In either case, Enriques would be a stronger candidate than he would be that year for straordinario at Bologna.
- Enriques had written to Volterra, his former teacher at Pisa, for advice.
- Volterra replied that Arzelà had written to him from Bologna referring to a possible incaricato position; and Volterra suggested that Enriques go to Bologna to talk with Pincherle and Arzelà.
- Enriques delayed, apparently at Arzelà's suggestion, but did go, probably on the day of the faculty meeting, Friday or Saturday, 17 or 18 November.
- Enriques was appointed to the temporary post in January 1894.
- The competition for the permanent Bologna post did not take place until October 1896; Enriques was appointed to the chair of descriptive and projective geometry with Pieri coming a close second.
- Enriques made important contributions to geometry and to the history and philosophy of mathematics.
- The key to the classification was contained in a remarkable paper Sulla proprietà caratteristica delle superficie algebriche irregolari Ⓣ(On the characteristic properties of the irregular algebraic surface) published by Enriques in 1905.
- Another topic which Enriques worked on was differential geometry.
- The foundations of mathematics had always interested Enriques, and, at Klein's request, he wrote an article on the foundations of geometry.
- It is, after all, impossible to separate Enriques, the philosopher of science, from Enriques, the mathematician, without running the risk of failing to understand both of them.
- It may be that cognitive psychology will reopen the avenues Enriques explored; there are signs that it has reached at least the philosophy of mathematics.
- Enriques offered a position on the nature of knowledge that was original and sophisticated.
- In addition to his research work, Enriques also wrote textbooks for schools.
- Enriques had to resign from teaching in 1938.
- Enriques received many honours.
Born 5 January 1871, Leghorn (now Livorno), Tuscany, Italy. Died 14 June 1946, Rome, Italy.
View full biography at MacTutor
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Origin Italy
Thank you to the contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0! 
- Github:
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- non-Github:
- @J-J-O'Connor
- @E-F-Robertson
References
Adapted from other CC BY-SA 4.0 Sources:
- O’Connor, John J; Robertson, Edmund F: MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
