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John Napier
(1550 - 4 Apr 1617)
Scottish mathematician and writer.
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Quotes by others about John Napier (2)
...by shortening the labours doubled the life of the astronomer.
On the benefit of Napier's logarithms.
On the benefit of Napier's logarithms.
Quoted in H. Eves, In Mathematical Circles (1969).
Foreshadowings of the principles and even of the language of [the infinitesimal] calculus can be found in the writings of Napier, Kepler, Cavalieri, Pascal, Fermat, Wallis, and Barrow. It was Newton's good luck to come at a time when everything was ripe for the discovery, and his ability enabled him to construct almost at once a complete calculus.
History of Mathematics (3rd Ed., 1901), 366.
See also:
- 4 Apr - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Napier's death.
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
(1987) -- 
