Pierre Boutroux
Encyclopedia
Pierre Léon Boutroux was a French
mathematician and historian of science. Boutroux is chiefly known for his work in the history and philosophy of mathematics.
on 6 December 1880 into a well connected family of the French intelligentsia. His father was the philosopher Émile Boutroux
. His mother was Aline Catherine Eugénie Poincaré, sister of the scientist and mathematician Henri Poincaré
. A cousin, Raymond Poincaré
was to be President of France.
He occupied the mathematics chair at Princeton University
from 1913 until 1914. He occupied the History of sciences chair from 1920 to 1922.
Boutroux published his major work Les principes de l'analyse mathématique in two volumes; Volume 1 in 1914 and Volume 2 in 1919. This is a comprehensive view of the whole field of mathematics at the time.
He died on 15 August 1922.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
mathematician and historian of science. Boutroux is chiefly known for his work in the history and philosophy of mathematics.
Biography
He was born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on 6 December 1880 into a well connected family of the French intelligentsia. His father was the philosopher Émile Boutroux
Emile Boutroux
Étienne Émile Marie Boutroux was an eminent 19th century French philosopher of science and religion, and an historian of philosophy. He was a firm opponent of materialism in science. He was a spiritual philosopher who defended the idea that religion and science are compatible at a time when the...
. His mother was Aline Catherine Eugénie Poincaré, sister of the scientist and mathematician Henri Poincaré
Henri Poincaré
Jules Henri Poincaré was a French mathematician, theoretical physicist, engineer, and a philosopher of science...
. A cousin, Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré was a French statesman who served as Prime Minister of France on five separate occasions and as President of France from 1913 to 1920. Poincaré was a conservative leader primarily committed to political and social stability...
was to be President of France.
He occupied the mathematics chair at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
from 1913 until 1914. He occupied the History of sciences chair from 1920 to 1922.
Boutroux published his major work Les principes de l'analyse mathématique in two volumes; Volume 1 in 1914 and Volume 2 in 1919. This is a comprehensive view of the whole field of mathematics at the time.
He died on 15 August 1922.
Further reading
- R S Calinger, Biography in Dictionary of Scientific Biography (New York 1970-1990).
- L Brunschvicg, L'oeuvre de Pierre Boutroux, Revue de métaphysique et de morale 29-30 (1922), 285-289.
- Lettre de M Pierre Boutroux a M Mittag-Leffler, in The mathematical heritage of Henri Poincaré 2 (Providence, R.I., 1983), 441-445.
External links
- Boutroux summary at www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk