Henri Poincare

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Henri Poincare : biography

29 April 1885 – 17 July 1912

According to those principals, Poincare refused not only logistics of Russell and formalism of Hilbert, but also the theory of multitude. Even in spite of the fact that before finding paradoxes, Poincare was interested in that theory. The scientist firmly stated that he refused the conception of actual endlessness (in other words endless multitude as a mathematical object) and accepted only potential endlessness. In order to avoid paradoxes, Poincare demanded that all mathematical terms were strictly predicative, in other words, they were not to contain any references not only to the concept being determined, but also to its content. Otherwise, the determination, including the new element, changed the content of that multitude, and all that might cause vicious circle.

Many of Poincare’s thoughts were adopted later by intuitivists.

Honours and Awards

– The King of Sweden’s mathematical competition in 1887

– American Philosophical Society award in 1899

– Golden Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in London , 1900

– Bolyai award in 1905

– Matteucci Medal of 1905

– French Academy of Sciences award of 1906

– Academie of France of 1909

– Bruce Medal received in 1911

Events and institutions devoted to the scientist:

– Institut Henri Poincare (a mathematics and theoretical physics center in France)

– PoincarePrize (a mathematical and physics International Prize)

– Annales Henri Poincare (a scientific magazine)

– Poincare Seminar

– The crater, devoted to Poincare on the Moon surface

– Asteroid 2021 devoted to Poincare

– International award for mathematical physics achievements

– University in Nancy

– A street in Paris

Works by Poincare

“Cours de physique mathematique” written since 1889 till 1892 or a course of lectures of mathematical physics, published in twelve volumes, based on Poincare’s lectures given in Sorbonne.

“Les methodes nouvelles de la mecanique celeste”, in three volumes, 1892-1897, or “New methods of celestial mechanics”.

“Analysis situs”of 1895. That was the mane of topology in those times; 1899 – 1902. That was the first work in that sphere. In addition to that Poincare made a few additional explaining publications.

“Calcul des probabilits”, 1896, the book was republished in 1912 and 1923.

“La Science et l’hypothese”, 1902 or “Science and hypothesis”.

“Valeur de la science:, 1905 or “value of science”.

“Lexons de mecanique celeste”, published din three volumes, 1905-1906. Or lectures about celestial mechanics.

“Theorie de Maxwell et les oscillations hertziennes”, 1907 or “the theory of Maxwell and hertz’s wave”.

“Science et methode”, of 1908. Or “Science and method”

“Dernires Pensies”, 1913, the last thoughts. The book was published after Poincare’s death.