How was Lagrange appointed professor of mathematics so early?
$begingroup$
It is well-known that in 1755 Lagrange was appointed Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Artillery School in Turin. He was 19. His work until then mainly involves correspondence with Euler. Was he appointed professor by Euler's recommendation? If not, then how was his talent recognised so early on?
mathematics
asked 4 hours ago
RainRain
1024
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
It is well-known that in 1755 Lagrange was appointed Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Artillery School in Turin. He was 19. His work until then mainly involves correspondence with Euler. Was he appointed professor by Euler's recommendation? If not, then how was his talent recognised so early on?
mathematics
asked 4 hours ago
RainRain
1024
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
It is well-known that in 1755 Lagrange was appointed Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Artillery School in Turin. He was 19. His work until then mainly involves correspondence with Euler. Was he appointed professor by Euler's recommendation? If not, then how was his talent recognised so early on?
mathematics
asked 4 hours ago
RainRain
1024
$endgroup$
It is well-known that in 1755 Lagrange was appointed Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Artillery School in Turin. He was 19. His work until then mainly involves correspondence with Euler. Was he appointed professor by Euler's recommendation? If not, then how was his talent recognised so early on?
mathematics
mathematics
asked 4 hours ago
RainRain
1024
asked 4 hours ago
RainRain
1024
asked 4 hours ago
RainRain
1024
asked 4 hours ago
RainRain
1024
asked 4 hours ago
RainRain
1024
1024
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Lagrange enrolled to the university at the age of 14, to study law. But he quickly switched to mathematics. According to his biography, his mother was surprised when the French ambassador presented himself to congratulate her and give her the prize of the Paris Academy which Lagrange won in a public competition (by correspondence).
(His mother was surprised because she assumed that her son was studying law).
In few years he probably made his name known in scientific circles. At that time
mathematical results were spread mostly by correspondence, there was no regular, established journals yet. Young Lagrange corresponded not only with Euler but with Prince Fagnano, (probably the most famous Italian mathematician of that time) and several other mathematicians. His first published paper appeared only in 1759, in a journal which he and his friends, who were actually his students, published themselves.
His correspondence with Euler started in 1754, and he was appointed Professor in 1755.
The biography does not mention any interference or even recommendation of Euler, but mentions that Euler tried to arrange for him a position in Berlin in 1756. (Euler only succeeded in making him a corresponding member.)
Lagrange was not unique as a prodigy. For comparison, Alexis Clairaut wrote his first research paper at the age of 12. At the age of 13 he was invited to address the Paris Academy, and became a member of this academy at 18.
William Rowan Hamilton was appointed Professor of Astronomy shortly before his graduation from the college, at the age of 22.
We may conclude that in 18th and early 19th century, the procedures were much less formal then they are nowadays: the number of mathematicians and the number of positions for them were very small, so appointments were decided on individual merits, rather then following rigid rules, as it is the case nowadays. As I understand the Artillery academy simply needed a good mathematician, and there were not many around. So they asked other mathematicians, and Lagrange was recommended.
Ref. I. A. Tiulina, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, "Nauka" Moscow, 1977 (in Russian).
answered 2 hours ago
Alexandre EremenkoAlexandre Eremenko
25.8k13694
$endgroup$
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "587"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fhsm.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f8518%2fhow-was-lagrange-appointed-professor-of-mathematics-so-early%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Lagrange enrolled to the university at the age of 14, to study law. But he quickly switched to mathematics. According to his biography, his mother was surprised when the French ambassador presented himself to congratulate her and give her the prize of the Paris Academy which Lagrange won in a public competition (by correspondence).
(His mother was surprised because she assumed that her son was studying law).
In few years he probably made his name known in scientific circles. At that time
mathematical results were spread mostly by correspondence, there was no regular, established journals yet. Young Lagrange corresponded not only with Euler but with Prince Fagnano, (probably the most famous Italian mathematician of that time) and several other mathematicians. His first published paper appeared only in 1759, in a journal which he and his friends, who were actually his students, published themselves.
His correspondence with Euler started in 1754, and he was appointed Professor in 1755.
The biography does not mention any interference or even recommendation of Euler, but mentions that Euler tried to arrange for him a position in Berlin in 1756. (Euler only succeeded in making him a corresponding member.)
Lagrange was not unique as a prodigy. For comparison, Alexis Clairaut wrote his first research paper at the age of 12. At the age of 13 he was invited to address the Paris Academy, and became a member of this academy at 18.
William Rowan Hamilton was appointed Professor of Astronomy shortly before his graduation from the college, at the age of 22.
We may conclude that in 18th and early 19th century, the procedures were much less formal then they are nowadays: the number of mathematicians and the number of positions for them were very small, so appointments were decided on individual merits, rather then following rigid rules, as it is the case nowadays. As I understand the Artillery academy simply needed a good mathematician, and there were not many around. So they asked other mathematicians, and Lagrange was recommended.
Ref. I. A. Tiulina, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, "Nauka" Moscow, 1977 (in Russian).
answered 2 hours ago
Alexandre EremenkoAlexandre Eremenko
25.8k13694
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Lagrange enrolled to the university at the age of 14, to study law. But he quickly switched to mathematics. According to his biography, his mother was surprised when the French ambassador presented himself to congratulate her and give her the prize of the Paris Academy which Lagrange won in a public competition (by correspondence).
(His mother was surprised because she assumed that her son was studying law).
In few years he probably made his name known in scientific circles. At that time
mathematical results were spread mostly by correspondence, there was no regular, established journals yet. Young Lagrange corresponded not only with Euler but with Prince Fagnano, (probably the most famous Italian mathematician of that time) and several other mathematicians. His first published paper appeared only in 1759, in a journal which he and his friends, who were actually his students, published themselves.
His correspondence with Euler started in 1754, and he was appointed Professor in 1755.
The biography does not mention any interference or even recommendation of Euler, but mentions that Euler tried to arrange for him a position in Berlin in 1756. (Euler only succeeded in making him a corresponding member.)
Lagrange was not unique as a prodigy. For comparison, Alexis Clairaut wrote his first research paper at the age of 12. At the age of 13 he was invited to address the Paris Academy, and became a member of this academy at 18.
William Rowan Hamilton was appointed Professor of Astronomy shortly before his graduation from the college, at the age of 22.
We may conclude that in 18th and early 19th century, the procedures were much less formal then they are nowadays: the number of mathematicians and the number of positions for them were very small, so appointments were decided on individual merits, rather then following rigid rules, as it is the case nowadays. As I understand the Artillery academy simply needed a good mathematician, and there were not many around. So they asked other mathematicians, and Lagrange was recommended.
Ref. I. A. Tiulina, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, "Nauka" Moscow, 1977 (in Russian).
answered 2 hours ago
Alexandre EremenkoAlexandre Eremenko
25.8k13694
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Lagrange enrolled to the university at the age of 14, to study law. But he quickly switched to mathematics. According to his biography, his mother was surprised when the French ambassador presented himself to congratulate her and give her the prize of the Paris Academy which Lagrange won in a public competition (by correspondence).
(His mother was surprised because she assumed that her son was studying law).
In few years he probably made his name known in scientific circles. At that time
mathematical results were spread mostly by correspondence, there was no regular, established journals yet. Young Lagrange corresponded not only with Euler but with Prince Fagnano, (probably the most famous Italian mathematician of that time) and several other mathematicians. His first published paper appeared only in 1759, in a journal which he and his friends, who were actually his students, published themselves.
His correspondence with Euler started in 1754, and he was appointed Professor in 1755.
The biography does not mention any interference or even recommendation of Euler, but mentions that Euler tried to arrange for him a position in Berlin in 1756. (Euler only succeeded in making him a corresponding member.)
Lagrange was not unique as a prodigy. For comparison, Alexis Clairaut wrote his first research paper at the age of 12. At the age of 13 he was invited to address the Paris Academy, and became a member of this academy at 18.
William Rowan Hamilton was appointed Professor of Astronomy shortly before his graduation from the college, at the age of 22.
We may conclude that in 18th and early 19th century, the procedures were much less formal then they are nowadays: the number of mathematicians and the number of positions for them were very small, so appointments were decided on individual merits, rather then following rigid rules, as it is the case nowadays. As I understand the Artillery academy simply needed a good mathematician, and there were not many around. So they asked other mathematicians, and Lagrange was recommended.
Ref. I. A. Tiulina, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, "Nauka" Moscow, 1977 (in Russian).
answered 2 hours ago
Alexandre EremenkoAlexandre Eremenko
25.8k13694
$endgroup$
Lagrange enrolled to the university at the age of 14, to study law. But he quickly switched to mathematics. According to his biography, his mother was surprised when the French ambassador presented himself to congratulate her and give her the prize of the Paris Academy which Lagrange won in a public competition (by correspondence).
(His mother was surprised because she assumed that her son was studying law).
In few years he probably made his name known in scientific circles. At that time
mathematical results were spread mostly by correspondence, there was no regular, established journals yet. Young Lagrange corresponded not only with Euler but with Prince Fagnano, (probably the most famous Italian mathematician of that time) and several other mathematicians. His first published paper appeared only in 1759, in a journal which he and his friends, who were actually his students, published themselves.
His correspondence with Euler started in 1754, and he was appointed Professor in 1755.
The biography does not mention any interference or even recommendation of Euler, but mentions that Euler tried to arrange for him a position in Berlin in 1756. (Euler only succeeded in making him a corresponding member.)
Lagrange was not unique as a prodigy. For comparison, Alexis Clairaut wrote his first research paper at the age of 12. At the age of 13 he was invited to address the Paris Academy, and became a member of this academy at 18.
William Rowan Hamilton was appointed Professor of Astronomy shortly before his graduation from the college, at the age of 22.
We may conclude that in 18th and early 19th century, the procedures were much less formal then they are nowadays: the number of mathematicians and the number of positions for them were very small, so appointments were decided on individual merits, rather then following rigid rules, as it is the case nowadays. As I understand the Artillery academy simply needed a good mathematician, and there were not many around. So they asked other mathematicians, and Lagrange was recommended.
Ref. I. A. Tiulina, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, "Nauka" Moscow, 1977 (in Russian).
answered 2 hours ago
Alexandre EremenkoAlexandre Eremenko
25.8k13694
edited 2 hours ago
answered 2 hours ago
Alexandre EremenkoAlexandre Eremenko
25.8k13694
answered 2 hours ago
Alexandre EremenkoAlexandre Eremenko
25.8k13694
answered 2 hours ago
Alexandre EremenkoAlexandre Eremenko
25.8k13694
25.8k13694
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to History of Science and Mathematics Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fhsm.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f8518%2fhow-was-lagrange-appointed-professor-of-mathematics-so-early%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
