Roberto Torretti
Encyclopedia
Roberto Torretti is a Chilean philosopher, author and academic who is internationally renowned for his contributions to the history of philosophy
, physics
and mathematics
.
, Germany
, as a pupil of Wilhelm Szilasi in 1954. Shortly after he began lecturing in philosophy and psychology at the Institute of Education of the University of Chile in Valparaíso
. He also worked for the United Nations
before commencing an academic career as professor emeritus of the University of Puerto Rico
and professor of the University of Chile which lasted for more than forty years. Torretti is currently a member of the Institut International de Philosophie. In April 2005 Torretti was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain. Torretti resides in Santiago, Chile and is married to the academic and philosopher Carla Cordua. In September 2011 Cordua and Torretti were jointly awarded the National Prize for the Humanities by the Republic of Chile.
.jpg)
Torretti has been greatly influenced by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant
and has dedicated many of his works to Kant’s thought. His work Manuel Kant: estudio sobre los fundamentos de la filosofia critica is considered one of the most important literary works on the thoughts of the 18th century German philosopher. Publications such as Philosophy of Geometry from Riemann to Poincaré (1978), Relativity and geometry (1983) and El paraíso del cantor (1998) have made Torretti a leading authority on the philosophy of science. Much of Torretti’s work has dealt with physics and mathematics, with a major focus on relativity
theory and 19th century geometry. He has devoted the book El Paraíso de Cantor to the set-theoretical tradition in logic
and philosophy of mathematics
. Together with Jesús Mosterín
, he has written an original and comprehensive dictionary of logic and philosophy of science.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and 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...
.
Biography
Torretti received a doctorate from the University of FreiburgUniversity of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg , sometimes referred to in English as the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, as a pupil of Wilhelm Szilasi in 1954. Shortly after he began lecturing in philosophy and psychology at the Institute of Education of the University of Chile in Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
. He also worked for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
before commencing an academic career as professor emeritus of the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
and professor of the University of Chile which lasted for more than forty years. Torretti is currently a member of the Institut International de Philosophie. In April 2005 Torretti was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain. Torretti resides in Santiago, Chile and is married to the academic and philosopher Carla Cordua. In September 2011 Cordua and Torretti were jointly awarded the National Prize for the Humanities by the Republic of Chile.
Philosophy
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher from Königsberg , researching, lecturing and writing on philosophy and anthropology at the end of the 18th Century Enlightenment....
and has dedicated many of his works to Kant’s thought. His work Manuel Kant: estudio sobre los fundamentos de la filosofia critica is considered one of the most important literary works on the thoughts of the 18th century German philosopher. Publications such as Philosophy of Geometry from Riemann to Poincaré (1978), Relativity and geometry (1983) and El paraíso del cantor (1998) have made Torretti a leading authority on the philosophy of science. Much of Torretti’s work has dealt with physics and mathematics, with a major focus on relativity
Theory of relativity
The theory of relativity, or simply relativity, encompasses two theories of Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity. However, the word relativity is sometimes used in reference to Galilean invariance....
theory and 19th century geometry. He has devoted the book El Paraíso de Cantor to the set-theoretical tradition in logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
and philosophy of mathematics
Philosophy of mathematics
The philosophy of mathematics is the branch of philosophy that studies the philosophical assumptions, foundations, and implications of mathematics. The aim of the philosophy of mathematics is to provide an account of the nature and methodology of mathematics and to understand the place of...
. Together with Jesús Mosterín
Jesús Mosterín
Jesús Mosterín is a leading Spanish philosopher and a thinker of broad spectrum, often at the frontier between science and philosophy.-Biography:He was born in Bilbao in 1941. He studied in Spain, Germany and the USA...
, he has written an original and comprehensive dictionary of logic and philosophy of science.
Academic awards
- Doctor honoris causa, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 2005
- Fellow, Pittsburgh Center for the Philosophy of Science, 1983–1984
- John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellow, 1980–1981
- John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellow, 1975–1976
- Alexander-von-Humboldt Dozentenstipendiat, Kant-Archiv, Bonn, 1964–1965