Benjamin Peirce
Benjamin Peirce (born April 4, 1809 in Salem , Massachusetts , † October 6, 1880 in Cambridge , Massachusetts), father of the philosopher Charles S. Peirce , was an American astronomer , mathematician and teacher who calculated the orbital disturbances of the planets Uranus and Neptune .
Live and act
Peirce received his PhD from Harvard University in 1829 ; Nathaniel Bowditch was the referee of his dissertation . In 1833 he became a professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Harvard University. In 1834 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences . In 1842 he became professor of astronomy in addition to his previous professorships ; he retained both functions until the end of his life. In 1867, Peirce also became head of the United States' coastal survey.
Peirce was primarily responsible for introducing mathematics to American research institutions. He was the first to offer graduate-level math courses in the United States. He was best known for his contributions in the fields of analytical mechanics and linear algebra . In addition, he played a role in the discovery of Neptune through his early work in astronomy.
The lunar crater Peirce and the asteroid (29463) Benjaminpeirce are named after him.
In 1852 he was president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science . From 1852 he was a foreign member ( Foreign Member ) of the Royal Society , in 1863 he was among the founding members of the National Academy of Sciences , in 1867 he became a corresponding member of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and an honorary member ( Honorary Fellow ) of the Royal Society of Edinburgh elected .
Fonts
- An Elementary Treatise on Plane and Solid Geometry, Boston 1837, Archives
- Linear associative algebra, Washington City 1870, New York: Van Nostrand 1882, Archives
- An Elementary Treatise on Algebra: To which are Added Exponential Equations and Logarithms, Boston: J. Munroe 1843, Archive
- An Elementary Treatise on Plane and Spherical Trigonometry. With Their Applications to Navigation, Surveying, Heights and Distances and Spherical Astronomy, Boston: Munroe 1852, Archive
- A system of analytic mechanics, Boston: Little Brown and Company 1855, New York: Van Nostrand 1872, Archives
- An Elementary Treatise on Curves, Functions, and Forces, 2 Volumes, Boston 1846, Volume 2, Archives
- The Saturnian System, Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1866
- Report upon the determination of the longitude of America and Europe from the solar eclipse of July 28, 1851, Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1862
- Tables of the Moon: Constructed for the Use of the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanach, Washington, Bureau of Navigation 1865
Web links
- Entry in Edward N. Zalta (Ed.): Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy .
- Publications by B. Peirce in the Astrophysics Data System
- Obituaries for B. Peirce in the Astrophysics Data System
- Entry for Peirce, Benjamin (1809-1880) in the Archives of the Royal Society , London
Individual evidence
- ↑ Benjamin Peirce in the Mathematics Genealogy Project (English)
- ↑ Holger Krahnke: The members of the Academy of Sciences in Göttingen 1751-2001 (= Treatises of the Academy of Sciences in Göttingen, Philological-Historical Class. Volume 3, Vol. 246 = Treatises of the Academy of Sciences in Göttingen, Mathematical-Physical Class. Episode 3, vol. 50). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2001, ISBN 3-525-82516-1 , p. 187.
- ^ Fellows Directory. Biographical Index: Former RSE Fellows 1783–2002. (PDF file) Royal Society of Edinburgh, accessed March 28, 2020 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Peirce, Benjamin |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American mathematician and astronomer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 4, 1809 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Salem , Massachusetts, USA |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 6, 1880 |
| Place of death | Cambridge , Massachusetts, USA |