Max Noether
Encyclopedia
Max Noether was a German mathematician
who worked on algebraic geometry
and the theory of algebraic functions. He has been called "one of the finest mathematicians of the nineteenth century".
in 1844, to a Jewish family of wealthy wholesale hardware dealers. His grandfather, Elias Samuel, had started the business in Bruchsal
in 1797. In 1809 the Grand Duchy of Baden
established a "Tolerance Edict", which assigned a hereditary surname to the male head of every Jewish family which did not already possess one. Thus the Samuels became the Noether family, and as part of this Christianization of names, their son Hertz (Max's father) became Hermann. Max was the third of five children Hermann had with his wife Amalia Würzburger.
At the age of fourteen Max contracted polio and was afflicted by its effects for the rest of his life. Through self-study
, he learned advanced mathematics and entered the University of Heidelberg in 1865. He served on the faculty there for several years, then moved to the University of Erlangen in 1888. While at Erlangen, Noether helped to found the field of algebraic geometry
.
In 1880 he married Ida Amalia Kaufmann, the daughter of another wealthy Jewish merchant family. Two years later they had their first child, named Amalia ("Emmy") after her mother. Emmy Noether
went on to become a central figure in abstract algebra
. In 1883 they had a son named Alfred, who later studied chemistry
before dying in 1918. Their third child, Fritz, was born in 1884. Like Emmy, Fritz Noether
also found prominence as a mathematician. Little is known about their fourth child, Gustav Robert, born in 1889. He suffered from continual illness and died in 1928.
Max Noether served as an Ordinarius (full professor) at Erlangen for many years, and died there on 13 December 1921.
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....
who worked on algebraic geometry
Algebraic geometry
Algebraic geometry is a branch of mathematics which combines techniques of abstract algebra, especially commutative algebra, with the language and the problems of geometry. It occupies a central place in modern mathematics and has multiple conceptual connections with such diverse fields as complex...
and the theory of algebraic functions. He has been called "one of the finest mathematicians of the nineteenth century".
Biography
Max Noether was born in MannheimMannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
in 1844, to a Jewish family of wealthy wholesale hardware dealers. His grandfather, Elias Samuel, had started the business in Bruchsal
Bruchsal
Bruchsal is a city at the western edge of the Kraichgau, approximately 20 km northeast of Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany...
in 1797. In 1809 the Grand Duchy of Baden
Grand Duchy of Baden
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.-History:...
established a "Tolerance Edict", which assigned a hereditary surname to the male head of every Jewish family which did not already possess one. Thus the Samuels became the Noether family, and as part of this Christianization of names, their son Hertz (Max's father) became Hermann. Max was the third of five children Hermann had with his wife Amalia Würzburger.
At the age of fourteen Max contracted polio and was afflicted by its effects for the rest of his life. Through self-study
Autodidacticism
Autodidacticism is self-education or self-directed learning. In a sense, autodidacticism is "learning on your own" or "by yourself", and an autodidact is a person who teaches him or herself something. The term has its roots in the Ancient Greek words αὐτός and διδακτικός...
, he learned advanced mathematics and entered the University of Heidelberg in 1865. He served on the faculty there for several years, then moved to the University of Erlangen in 1888. While at Erlangen, Noether helped to found the field of algebraic geometry
Algebraic geometry
Algebraic geometry is a branch of mathematics which combines techniques of abstract algebra, especially commutative algebra, with the language and the problems of geometry. It occupies a central place in modern mathematics and has multiple conceptual connections with such diverse fields as complex...
.
In 1880 he married Ida Amalia Kaufmann, the daughter of another wealthy Jewish merchant family. Two years later they had their first child, named Amalia ("Emmy") after her mother. Emmy Noether
Emmy Noether
Amalie Emmy Noether was an influential German mathematician known for her groundbreaking contributions to abstract algebra and theoretical physics. Described by David Hilbert, Albert Einstein and others as the most important woman in the history of mathematics, she revolutionized the theories of...
went on to become a central figure in abstract algebra
Abstract algebra
Abstract algebra is the subject area of mathematics that studies algebraic structures, such as groups, rings, fields, modules, vector spaces, and algebras...
. In 1883 they had a son named Alfred, who later studied chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
before dying in 1918. Their third child, Fritz, was born in 1884. Like Emmy, Fritz Noether
Fritz Noether
Fritz Alexander Ernst Noether was a German-born mathematician.Fritz Noether's father Max Noether was a mathematician and professor in Erlangen. The notable mathematician Emmy Noether was his elder sister; the mathematician Gottfried Noether was his son.Fritz Noether was also an able mathematician...
also found prominence as a mathematician. Little is known about their fourth child, Gustav Robert, born in 1889. He suffered from continual illness and died in 1928.
Max Noether served as an Ordinarius (full professor) at Erlangen for many years, and died there on 13 December 1921.
See also
- Brill–Noether theory
- Noether's theorem on rationality for surfacesNoether's theorem on rationality for surfacesIn mathematics, Noether's theorem on rationality for surfaces is a classical result of Max Noether on complex algebraic surfaces, giving a criterion for a rational surface. Let S be an algebraic surface that is non-singular and projective. Suppose there is a morphism φ from S to the projective...
- Max Noether's theoremMax Noether's theoremIn mathematics, Max Noether's theorem in algebraic geometry may refer to at least six results of Max Noether. Noether's theorem usually refers to a result derived from work of his daughter Emmy Noether....
- Noether inequalityNoether inequalityIn mathematics, the Noether inequality, named after Max Noether, is a property of compact minimal complex surfaces that restricts the topological type of the underlying topological 4-manifold...
- Riemann–Roch theorem for surfaces