Alfred Horn
Encyclopedia
Alfred Horn was an American
mathematician
notable for his work in lattice theory and universal algebra
. His 1951 paper "On sentences which are true of direct unions of algebras" described Horn clause
s and Horn sentences, which later would form the foundation of logic programming
.
Horn was born on Lower East Side, Manhattan
. His parents were both deaf, and his father died when Horn was three years old. At this point, the children moved in with their grandparents on the mother's side. They would later move to Brooklyn
where Horn spent most of his childhood, raised by his extended family.
Horn attended the City College of New York
, and later, New York University
where he earned a Master's degree
in mathematics
. He went on to earn his Ph.D.
at University of California, Berkeley
in 1946. A year later, he started work at the University of California
, where he stayed until his retirement in 1988.
He died in 2001 in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles after eight years of battling prostate cancer
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
notable for his work in lattice theory and universal algebra
Universal algebra
Universal algebra is the field of mathematics that studies algebraic structures themselves, not examples of algebraic structures....
. His 1951 paper "On sentences which are true of direct unions of algebras" described Horn clause
Horn clause
In mathematical logic, a Horn clause is a clause with at most one positive literal. They are named after the logician Alfred Horn, who first pointed out the significance of such clauses in 1951...
s and Horn sentences, which later would form the foundation of logic programming
Logic programming
Logic programming is, in its broadest sense, the use of mathematical logic for computer programming. In this view of logic programming, which can be traced at least as far back as John McCarthy's [1958] advice-taker proposal, logic is used as a purely declarative representation language, and a...
.
Horn was born on Lower East Side, Manhattan
Lower East Side, Manhattan
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
. His parents were both deaf, and his father died when Horn was three years old. At this point, the children moved in with their grandparents on the mother's side. They would later move to Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
where Horn spent most of his childhood, raised by his extended family.
Horn attended the City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
, and later, New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
where he earned a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. He went on to earn his Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1946. A year later, he started work at the University of California
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, where he stayed until his retirement in 1988.
He died in 2001 in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles after eight years of battling prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
.