Sophie Germain is located in the large group of mathematical history of the past and its name is to be joined, for the importance and value of studies she conducted, with that of other prominent female personalities who have distinguished themselves in science and mathematics, where the same Hypatia, Maria Gaetana Agnesi, Laura Bassi, Emilie du Chatelet, Vasilyevna Sofia Kovalevskaya.
Born in Paris on 1 April 1776 by a wealthy family and leading to its ideals of freedom, Sophie is still remembered today not only for his contribution to the evolution of mathematical studies, but also as a significant symbol of the feminist struggle for the overthrow of prejudices and socio-cultural barriers against women and of his professional career.
It 's always very interesting when dealing with a knowledge of the process of biographical individuality, to detect some significant relationships between the realization of the fate of this and the influences arising from the training. Thus, even in the case of Sophie, is not irrelevant that his father, a rich merchant, who later became director of the Bank of France and therefore belonged to the bourgeois class which, with the revolution, wanted to assert their civil and political rights, was a representative of the Third State of the Constituent Assembly 1789. She, in fact, animated by the same fighting spirit, fought for several years before he could see his talent recognized mathematicians in the institutions. And like other women of her time is serving its purpose without any hesitation that inhibit its momentum, with nothing constitutes an insurmountable obstacle to its success. His "Bastille" by storm were academics, which had to sneak in even pretending to be men and use a male pseudonym, that of Antoine-August Le Blanc.
Sophie was 13 years old when the revolution broke out and it was the same year that he discovered his passion for mathematics. As often happens, sometimes it is an encounter that awakens what lies in our inner being. Sophie for the decisive meeting was the reading of Plutarch's story, contained in a book for children, the death of Archimedes at the siege of Syracuse: "Suddenly a soldier came into the room and ordered him to go with him Marcello. Archimedes said that he would go after solving the problem and put in order the demonstration. The soldier was enraged, drew his sword and killed him. '. Sophie was very impressed, because he thought how great would have been the scientist's passion for mathematics did not look after him a salvare la vita!
Sophie was 13 years old when the revolution broke out and it was the same year that he discovered his passion for mathematics. As often happens, sometimes it is an encounter that awakens what lies in our inner being. Sophie for the decisive meeting was the reading of Plutarch's story, contained in a book for children, the death of Archimedes at the siege of Syracuse: "Suddenly a soldier came into the room and ordered him to go with him Marcello. Archimedes said that he would go after solving the problem and put in order the demonstration. The soldier was enraged, drew his sword and killed him. '. Sophie was very impressed, because he thought how great would have been the scientist's passion for mathematics did not look after him a salvare la vita!
Da quel momento Sophie cominciò a studiare matematica, dapprima da sola, poi sotto la guida di maestri, i cui metodi però lei stessa riteneva inadeguati alle sue esigenze conoscitive, che non si limitavano certo a quelle di una comune signorina di buona famiglia! Lei affrontava già la lettura diretta delle opere di Newton e di altri matematici, opere che poteva reperire da sé nella biblioteca paterna.
Sophie era ormai giunta al punto di aver necessità di percorrere un iter di formazione superiore degli studi matematici e perciò doveva ad ogni costo abbattere ogni ostacolo si sovrapponesse a questa sua necessità: la scuola superiore di studi scientifico-matematici da pochi anni aperta a Parigi che lei avrebbe voluto frequentare non ammetteva l'ingresso alle donne, per cui decise d'iscriversi sotto pseudonimo maschile e così, pur non potendo frequentare i corsi, ottenne di poter avere e studiare le dispense. Dopo un certo tempo, fu notata per la qualità del suo lavoro, dall'eminente professor Lagrange, il quale, fortunatamente, non smise di apprezzarlo, quando lei dovette rivelargli la sua vera identità. Questo evento fu una nuova svolta nella sua vita di studiosa, poiché, sostenuta dal professor Lagrange, Sophie intraprese gli studi più complessi della teoria dei numeri. Aveva 18 anni quando iniziò questo lavoro che l'avrebbe portata a individuare il "numero primo di Sophie Germain, "and that even today is considered the most important of his studies, along with the theory of elasticity. In that same period he began his correspondence with Friedrich Gauss at this time and wanted to use the male pseudonym, to be sure be taken seriously by the prestigious mathematician. He took care of Gauss when Napoleon came in Prussia and recommended him to a family friend, a general, who watches over him, and later, when it came to reveal to him the his true identity, once again was surprised to receive praise and encouragement. The correspondence ended when the mathematician, received the chair of astronomy at the University of Gottingen, perhaps because they are too busy in other fields of research, no further answer to her letters and she no longer supported in his research on number theory from the exchange with the student, he left the field and devoted himself to another.
In those early years of the nineteenth century the German physicist Ernst Florens Friedrich Chladni was continuing his interesting work on vibrating plates, and also met with Napoleon himself, the sight of which gave rise to his fascinating demonstrations given to the vibration plate glass covered with fine sand. The Academy of Sciences held a competition to seek an explanation and Napoleon would have offered a cash prize. Sophie participates three times, and while the first two times its calculations contained some flaws, so there was never recognized the work, the third time finally got the recognition. However, he would not attend the awarding ceremony, as believed, after the treatment received in the first two experiences, not a proper appreciation of merit. His work on the subject, memory on the vibration of elastic plates, is considered a text of great value. Sophie wanted to continue research in this direction, but the Board of the Institute of France would not even take into coinsiderazione his article, it was taken inside by the presence of scholars such as the Laplace! The article was later discovered and fu pubblicato nel 1880.
Sophie aveva però vinto, alla terza prova, l'ambito concorso che la riconobbe, a soli 40 anni, una delle grandi matematiche del suo tempo! E, unica donna, venne accolta all'Accademia delle Scienze, dove poteva frequentare a suo piacimento le varie sessioni. A quel tempo un tal privilegio era riservato soltanto alle mogli degli scienziati che facevano parte dell'Accademia.
Questa donna, questa studiosa, questa matematica, anch'essa destinata, come Sofia Vasilyevna Kovalevskaya ad una breve vita, morì nel giugno del 1831 a Parigi per un tumore. Non si era mai sposata, il padre non aveva infatti "manovrato" la sua esistenza!
His work in philosophy of science liked to Comte.
Even his name was renamed the place of heaven, located in a crater of Venus!
Rosalia de old
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