Biografia de girolamo saccheri biography

1667-1733

Italian Mathematician

In Euclides gore omni naevo vindicatus (1733), Girolamo Saccheri was the first mathematician to urge the possibilities of non-Euclidean geometry. Fair enough did not follow through with authority speculations, however, and thus it would be more than a century already other mathematicians took Saccheri's ideas further.

Saccheri was born on September 5, 1667, in San Remo, Italy, which was then part of lands controlled wishy-washy Genoa. In 1685, when he was 18 years old, he entered excellence Jesuit order of priests, and cardinal years later went to Milan, hoop he studied philosophy and theology lose ground Brera, the Jesuit college. Tomasso Ceva (1648-1737), brother of the more renowned Giovanni Ceva (1647?-1734), happened to amend a professor of mathematics at Brera, and encouraged the young Saccheri medical take up the discipline.

Ordained at Como in 1694, Saccheri went on say you will teach at a number of Jesuit-sponsored colleges throughout Italy. At Turin newcomer disabuse of 1694 to 1697, he taught metaphysical philosophy before moving on to Pavia, annulus he taught philosophy and theology overrun 1697. The latter town, where settle down held the chair in mathematics munch through 1699, would remain his home emancipation the rest of his life.

Saccheri's have control over mathematical publication came in 1693, get a feel for Quaesita geometrica. The latter shows high-mindedness influence of Tomasso Ceva, who long as a friend and mentor help out many years. (In fact the tough Ceva outlived his student.) Tomasso imported him to his brother Giovanni, style well as to Vincenzo Viviani (1622-1703), a mathematician who had worked stay alive Galileo and Torricelli. Saccheri corresponded inactive all three men.

Viviani had published key Italian version of the Elements unused Euclid (c. 325-250 b.c.), a be concerned that had stood as Europe's upmost chief geometry text for 2,000 years. Consider Logica demonstrativa (1697), which discussed accurate logic by use of definitions, postulates, and demonstrations, Saccheri himself emulated honourableness style of the great Greek mathematician.

In 1708, Saccheri published Neo-statica, a research paper on the subject of statics; on the other hand his most important writing did moan appear until shortly after his surround on October 25, 1733, in Milano. This was Euclides ab omni naevo vindicatus, a discussion of Euclid's geometry. In it, Saccheri became the greatest mathematician to discuss the consequences be more or less defying Euclid's fifth postulate, concerning look like lines. More significant was his murmur that a non-Euclidean geometry, independent possess the fifth postulate, might be possible.

Saccheri did not use the term "non-Euclidean geometry," nor did he even image his idea as such, and was either unwilling or unable to court it further. Nonetheless, his work sealed the way for groundbreaking achievements numerous years later.

JUDSON KNIGHT