Christian Langhansen

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Christian Langhansen (also: Langhans ; born September 25, 1660 in Friedland (East Prussia) ; † February 19, 1727 in Königsberg ) was a German mathematician and Lutheran theologian.

Life

Christian was born the son of councilor Christoph Langhansen († 1672) and his wife Anna, daughter of pastor Christian Freymuth. He had initially attended school in his hometown, had switched to the provincial school in Lyck in 1672 and continued his education in Insterburg in 1673 with his brother, the rector M. Christoph Langhansen († 1674) . After the death of his brother, he continued his education at the school in his place of birth, only to be admitted to the cathedral school in Königsberg on June 25, 1676. On April 16, 1678 he moved to the University of Königsberg and studied under the then rector and professor of poetry Johann Röling (1634–1679).

During his early days as a student, financial hardships forced him to earn a living as a writer. This changed when he was accepted on September 17, 1679 among the alumni of the Konviktorium. A year later he took over a position as court master and was able to advance his studies. He attended the philosophical and mathematical lectures given by Paulo Pomian Pesarovius (1650–1723), Georg Thegen (1651–1729), David Blaesing (1660–1719) and Andreas Hedio (1640–1703). He also heard the theological lectures by Bernhard von Sanden the Elder (1636–1703). On April 26, 1685 he acquired the academic degree of a master's degree , completed his habilitation in the same year at the philosophical faculty for mathematics and then gave lectures on arithmetic, geography, geometry and other scientific sub-disciplines of the science of that time.

He would have liked to go on an educational trip to other universities, but on January 16, 1688 he was appointed deputy principal of the Königsberg old town school , which position he took over on February 17. However in the same year, on the Sunday before Christmas, he became a deacon at the old town church . At the same time, he continued his academic lectures, which he soon had to give up because of his diverse pastoral duties. After he had become pastor of the Old Town Church in 1719, he was appointed to the Samland Consistory as a consistorial councilor on January 17, 1720 . After presiding over these offices for thirty-two years, he died of a stroke and was buried in his parish church on March 1, 1727. His son Christoph Langhansen was also to become important.

Langhansen wrote a number of occasional academic writings, e.g. B. About the Archimedean investigation of the crown of King Hiero (1686), About the calculation of the regular polyhedra (1687), About the determination of the contents of the barrels (1687), the latter an eagerly discussed problem of that epoch. Langhansen's sermons have been published collectively. Some of his ascetic writings saw various published translations.

Works

  • Disp. De Demonstratione Regulae Proportionis directae. Koenigsberg 1685
  • Dissertationes Mathematicas de Corona Hieronis. 1686
  • Diss. De Praedicabilibus. 1687
  • De quinque Coporum regularium Soliditate e dato vno latere inuenienda, Diss. Duas. Koenigsberg 1687
  • de Doliorum Dimensione. Koenigsberg 1687
  • de Auspicii regii Symbolis. Koenigsberg 1687
  • Trigamdialecticarum Quaestionum. Koenigsberg 1687
  • Variarum Quaestionum Triades sex.Königsberg 1688
  • Sermon at the inauguration of the Old Town Witben and Waysen House about Job 29.12.13.
  • Biblical home devotions. 8th vol.
  • Contemplations of the passion.
  • Children's postil (translated into Swedish, Wendish, Polish and Lithuanian).
  • Doctrines of cathechism

Life

personal data
SURNAME Langhansen, Christian
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Langhans
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German mathematician and Lutheran theologian
DATE OF BIRTH September 25, 1660
PLACE OF BIRTH Friedland (East Prussia)
DATE OF DEATH February 19, 1727
Place of death Königsberg (Prussia)