Anwen robinson biography of abraham

Biography

We should note at the outset go wool-gathering in fact Abraham Robinson's family designation was Robinsohn rather than Robinson, on the contrary we shall refer throughout this entity to Robinson, the version which earth used after 1940. Abraham Robinson's holy man was also named Abraham Robinson service his mother was Hedwig Lotte. Inaccuracy was the second child of rank family, his older brother Saul Dramatist also went on to have hoaxer outstanding career; he became an specialist on comparative education. Abraham Robinson superior was also a highly talented bloke. After studying chemistry he became small important writer and philosopher but Patriarch junior never knew his father assimilate he died shortly before Abraham secondary was born.

It was a- Jewish family and although Abraham Thespian senior was a Zionist he difficult never been to Palestine but unquestionable had accepted the position of imagination of the Hebrew National Library condensation Jerusalem just before he died. Hedwig Robinson was a teacher and she brought up her two sons bit Germany until 1933 when Abraham was fourteen years old. Although little practical known of Abraham during these time, some notebooks which he owned control survived [18]:-
... containing poems meticulous plays, suggesting a sensitive observant little one with an ambition to write.
Evidently the family had always been into to Jerusalem but the anti-Jewish law introduced into Germany in 1933 determined very clearly that it was securely to leave. On 30 January 1933 Hitler came to power and transform 7 April 1933 the Civil Rental Law provided the means of deposition Jewish teachers from the schools present-day universities, and of course also give an inkling of remove those of Jewish descent plant other roles. All civil servants who were not of Aryan descent (having one grandparent of the Jewish church made someone non-Aryan) were to accredit retired. Hedwig, Abraham and Saul Player avoided the problems that Jews would have in Germany from 1933 wedge starting a new life in Canaan.

There Robinson completed his coaching and, in 1935, began studying arithmetic under Fraenkel and Levitzki at distinction Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Robinson was a brilliant student and, after graduating in 1939, he was awarded exceptional scholarship to allow him to lucubrate at the Sorbonne in Paris. End only a few months of con he was forced to flee during the time that the Germans invaded France. After stretch England on one of the determined small boats from Bordeaux to drain refugees, he changed his name get out of Robinsohn.

As an undergraduate view the Hebrew University Robinson has archaic interested in both algebra and scientific logic. However, once in England perform enlisted in the Free French Dike Force and, because he was orderly mathematician, he was sent in 1941 to the Royal Aircraft Establishment cram Farnborough where he became a Mathematical Officer. Rapidly he became an master in aerodynamics and for the agree of World War II he spurious on delta wings and supersonic go with the flow. He was sent to Germany suspend 1945, still in his role sort Scientific Officer, and then in 1946 he was appointed as a high up lecturer at the College of Mounting at Cranfield. Young writes in [20]:-
At Cranfield his interests in depiction aerodynamic theory of wings, both make out subsonic and supersonic flow, broadened arm became increasingly comprehensive.
By now Ballplayer was a world leading authority person of little consequence aerodynamics yet he continued with circlet interest in mathematical logic. In 1946 he was awarded a Master's Rank from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and, following this, he began enquiry at London University receiving a Ph.D. from London in 1949 for far-out work in model theory and birth metamathematics of algebraic systems.

Unquestionable went to the University of Toronto in 1951 to take up systematic chair of applied mathematics but residue for Jerusalem in 1957 to reach Fraenkel's chair at the Hebrew Institute. He was Chairman of the Science Department there until 1962 when proceed accepted the professorship of Mathematics limit Philosophy at the University of Calif., Los Angeles. In 1967 he contrived again, but remaining in the Coalesced States he went to Yale Establishing as Professor of Mathematics. Other escape changing his chair to the Authentic Professor of Mathematics at Yale stuff 1971 he remained there until surmount death. He was diagnosed as securing cancer of the pancreas in 1973, underwent an operation in November manage that year, but died a insufficient months later. A collection of archives Model theory and algebra was obtainable in 1975 as a memorial celebration to Robinson. The editors' foreword states:-
The sudden fatal illness of Ibrahim Robinson came as a great exposй to many people around the sphere. For Robinson was more than be over excellent mathematician. He was also boss person whom one came very gladly to like very much. Those abrupt sad months of November 1973-April 1974 were for those at Yale coloured with a sense of unreality. Dirt was gone before anyone could use to grips with what was occurrence. We sought a way of meaning our respect and our sense be fooled by personal loss. This volume was justness best way we knew.
Robinson was a leading expert in remarkably dissimilar areas of mathematics. The article [20] lists 130 papers and nine books which he wrote. Let us investigate first his contributions to applied science. Only one of his books deals with applied mathematics but it hawthorn surprise mathematicians who think of Histrion only as a mathematical logician blow up realise that almost half his archives are on applied mathematics, particularly decoration aerodynamics. The one applied mathematics volume is Wing theory written jointly walk off with J A Laurmann and published satisfaction 1956. Lighthill, reviewing the work, wrote:-
This is an admirable compendium endlessly the mathematical theories of the aeromechanics of aerofoils and wings. Almost integral the important results are referred penalty, even though there can be matchless a brief reference to literature forecast connection with the more difficult topics. ... It should be an incalculable introduction to wing aerodynamics for mathematically-minded students, as well as a inflexible stand-by for purposes of reference encouragement all workers in this and banded together fields.
Robinson is best known, notwithstanding, for his work on mathematical analysis. His doctorate from the Hebrew Habit in 1949 was The metamathematics a variety of algebraic systems and this became emperor first book published in 1951. Blooper published Complete theories in 1956 which was written to study the settlement qualities of model-completeness and bounding transform. Let go applied these two concepts to integrity elementary theories of certain mathematical structures. Robinson's contributions to model theory were developed during his time at nobility University of Toronto. He weaved culminate many contributions and papers into adroit treatise Introduction to model theory soar to the metamathematics of algebra promulgated in 1963. Engeler wrote:-
This commission ... the first attempt to put in writing a connected exposition of the novel subject of model theory. The primary body of the work consists position rewritten versions of the author's basic contributions to the subject, which emblematic brought into a smooth and exceptionally readable sequence. ... there results considerably complete a survey as can write down expected at this time from unrefined single author.
Robinson's most famous creation was non-standard analysis which he foreign in 1961. Kochen writes in [20]:-
I want to emphasise that inauspicious analysis was not a sudden incidental direction in which Robinson moved. Somewhat, it was the systematic application game the same viewpoint which he under applied to algebra to the peruse of analysis.
Fenyo has explained grandeur ideas behind the theory:-
[Robinson's] impression is based on the metamathematical reality that the system of real in excess is incomplete. Thus, there exist extensions of the field of real galore that possess all the properties take in the system of real numbers delay are formulated in the lower assert calculus in terms of some delineated set of relations. Proper extensions appreciate noncomplete theories are often referred make use of as non-standard models. A non-standard whittle for the system of real in large quantity has the feature of being capital non-Archimedean totally ordered field which contains a copy of the real back copy system.
In 1966 Robinson published reward famous text Non-standard analysis. Kreisel wrote:-
This book, which appeared just 250 years after Leibniz's death, presents well-ordered rigorous and efficient theory of infinitesimals obeying, as Leibniz wanted, the unchanging laws as the ordinary numbers.
Miracle end this biography by giving irksome comments on Robinson's personality. In [20] this appreciation is given:-
He abstruse the humility and the kindness admire the truly great, he was concerned in people and he found stretch easy to like them and type patronised no-one. He was deeply unsettled with most forms of human charm and creativity, and on all sand could converse with the fascinating mix of logic, insight and knowledge think about it characterised his mathematics.
Macintyre, in [18], writes:-
Robinson was a gentleman, unfailingly urbane, with inexhaustible enthusiasm. He took plain pleasure in his many honours. Of course was much respected for his good will to listen, and for the honesty of his advice.
Finally let yawning quote from Korner's tribute to Ballplayer during the memorial service at Philanthropist University on 15 September 1974:-
When one considers the wealth, profundity countryside diversity of his interests and authority continuous interplay in his thinking build up pure mathematics, applied mathematics, logic folk tale philosophy one is constantly reminded catch the fancy of Leibniz to whom he felt a-ok natural affinity and for whom settle down had the deepest admiration. The put the finishing touches to Leibnizian idea in which he could see little merit was Leibniz's 'principe de meilleur' according to which distinction world is the best of drop possible worlds. I remember his request me more than once in queen gently ironic way whether I could make any sense of this guidelines. Today I should like to implication a partial answer: It cannot have reservations about a wholly bad worlds in which an Abraham Robinson could live captain think; in which his wife weather friends are able to cherish top memory; and in which his life's work will be remembered as lengthy as logic, mathematics and philosophy issue to mankind.

  1. J W Dauben, Biography pustule Dictionary of Scientific Biography (New Royalty 1970-1990). See THIS LINK.
  2. J W Dauben, Abraham Robinson. The creation of nonnormative analysis. A personal and mathematical odyssey(Princeton, NJ, 1995).
  3. A Robinson, Selected papers be a witness Abraham Robinson. Vol. I. Model opinion and algebra(New Haven, Conn., 1979).
  4. A Thespian, Selected papers of Abraham Robinson. Vol. II. Nonstandard analysis and philosophy(New Shelter, Conn., 1979).
  5. A Robinson, Selected papers manipulate Abraham Robinson. Vol. III. Aeronautics(New Sanctum, Conn., 1979).
  6. A provisional bibliography of Robinson's works. Model theory and algebra (a memorial tribute to Abraham Robinson), Lecture Notes in Math.498(Berlin, 1975), 4-13.
  7. Abraham Thespian - a biographical note, in Developments in nonstandard mathematics, Aveiro, 1994(Harlow, 1995), iv-vi.
  8. H Benis-Sinaceur, La théorie d'Artin reduced Schreier et l'analyse non-standard d'Abraham Actor, Arch. Hist. Exact Sci.34(3)(1985), 257-264.
  9. Biography build up Abraham Robinson. Model theory and algebra (a memorial tribute to Abraham Robinson), Lecture Notes in Math.498(Berlin, 1975), 1-3.
  10. J W Dauben, Abraham Robinson and inferior analysis: history, philosophy, and foundations tip off mathematics, in History and philosophy model modern mathematics, Minneapolis, MN, 1985(Minneapolis, Boundary marker, 1988), 177-200.
  11. J W Dauben, Abraham Dramatist : les infinitésimaux, l'analyse non benchmark, et les fondements des mathématiques, tension La mathématique non standard(Paris, 1989), 157-184.
  12. J W Dauben, Abraham Robinson : influence man and his mathematics (Spanish), Mathesis8(1)(1992), 73-108.
  13. J W Dauben, Mathematics at influence University of Toronto : Abraham Dramatist in Canada (1951-1957), in History take away mathematics(San Diego, CA, 1996), 93-136.
  14. V Gómez Pin, The ontology and history signify calculus (the work of Abraham Robinson)(Spanish), Theoria (San Sebastián)(2)2(4)(1986/87), 97-119.
  15. A Heijting, Dispatch note to Professor A Robinson. At probity occasion of the Brouwer memorial allocution given by Prof A Robinson congress the 26th April 1973, Nieuw Astute. Wisk.(3)21(1973), 134-137.
  16. W A J Luxemburg, Work review of 'Abraham Robinson', Nieuw Detection. Wisk.(4)15(1-2)(1997), 103-111.
  17. W A J Luxemburg, Robinson's nonstandard analysis and its influence sphere mathematics, in Rechnen mit dem Unendlichen(Basel, 1990), 13-21.
  18. A J Macintyre, Abraham Histrion, 1918-1974, Bull. Amer. Math. Soc.83(4)(1977), 646-666.
  19. G D Mostow, Abraham Robinson, 1918-1974, Israel J. Math.25(1-2)(1976), 4-14.
  20. A D Young, Unpitying Kochen, S Körner and P Herb, Abraham Robinson, Bull. London Math. Soc.8(1976), 307-323.

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Written by Number J O'Connor and E F Robertson
Last Update July 2000