David Hilbert Biography

Who was David Hilbert?

David Hilbert was a renowned German Mathematician works helped pave the path for modern mathematical research in the 20th century. He was the first to distinguish between mathematics and metamathematics. Regarded as one of the finest mathematicians of the twentieth century, David Hilbert left an indelible mark with his vast knowledge in different divisions of mathematics and was also the first to discover the invariant theory. His strong foothold in mathematics proved significant in areas ranging from number systems to geometry and extended mathematics to mathematical physics. His work on integral equations laid the foundation for research in functional analysis. After completing his Ph.D., he began his teaching career at the University of Königsberg, where he also collaborated with fellow mathematicians Hermann Minkowski and Adolf Hurwitz. Later, he joined the University of Göttingen, the global mathematical hub of the century, as Professor of Mathematics. Initially, he worked on number theory and abstract algebra, but before long he turned his attention to integral equations and completely transformed the field. Many important mathematical terms and theorems have been named after him, including Hilbert space, Hilbert curves, Hilbert classification, and Hilbert inequality. At the Paris International Congress of Mathematicians in 1900, he presented 23 important questions that intrigued mathematicians over the century. A great leader and spokesperson for the discipline, he was absolutely hopeful that future mathematicians would find the solution to the 23 problems. Even though he retired before the rise of Nazism, he lived to see prominent Jewish faculty members being ousted from the University of Göttingen in 1933.

David Hilbert's biography

Where did David Hilbert come from, and who was he?

David Hilbert was a well-known German mathematician who helped to shape modern mathematical research in the twentieth century. He was the first to point out the distinctions between mathematics and metamathematics. David Hilbert, widely recognised as one of the finest mathematicians of the twentieth century, left an indelible mark with his vast knowledge in a variety of fields and was the first to construct the invariant theory. From number systems to geometry, extended mathematics, and mathematical physics, his strong mathematical foundation served him well. He laid the foundation for functional analysis study with his work on integral equations. After completing his Ph.D., he began teaching at the University of Königsberg, where he collaborated with fellow mathematicians Hermann Minkowski and Adolf Hurwitz. He went on to become a Professor of Mathematics at Göttingen University, the century's global academic epicentre. Initially, he concentrated on number theory and abstract algebra, but he swiftly moved on to integral equations, which he completely transformed. Some of the key mathematical vocabulary and theories named after him include Hilbert space, Hilbert curves, Hilbert classification, and Hilbert inequality. At the Paris International Congress of Mathematicians in 1900, he spoke on 23 important issues that had attracted the interest of mathematicians throughout the century. He was a brilliant leader and proponent of mathematics, and he believed that future mathematicians will solve the 23 problems. Despite the fact that he retired before Nazism came to power, he lived long enough to witness the expulsion of major Jewish academic members from Göttingen University in 1933.

Major Projects

He wrote a book called "The Foundations of Geometry" in 1899, in which he illustrated a set of axioms that eliminated the mistakes in Euclidean geometry. He wanted to axiomatize mathematics as well.

He gave a speech at the Paris International Congress of Mathematicians in 1900 titled "Mathematical Problems." He enumerated 23 mathematical issues that needed to be solved by mathematicians in the twentieth century. These difficulties are now known as Hilbert's problems, and many of them are still unsolved today.

David Hilbert excelled in axiomatic theory, algebraic number theory, invariant theory, class field theory, and functional analysis, among other topics of mathematics. He created the idea of 'Hilbert space,' which is now one of the most significant in functional analysis and current mathematical physics.

He pioneered new branches of mathematics such as modern logic and met mathematics. Another notable addition of his work was 'Satz 90,' a theorem based on relative cyclic fields.

Achievements & Awards

At the first award ceremony of the Wolfgang Bolyai Award of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1905, Hilbert received a special commendation.

Personal History and Legacy

David Hilbert was a Reformed Protestant who was baptised and raised in the church. Later in life, though, he became a sceptic. He claimed that mathematical truth existed independently of God's existence.

He married Käthe Jerosch in 1892. The couple produced a son named Franz Hilbert (1893–1969) while living in Königsberg. Franz had an undiscovered psychological disorder his entire life, which caused his mathematician father much disappointment.

The Nazis had already re-staffed practically the whole university by the time he died on February 14, 1943, replacing all the Jews. His funeral was attended by a small number of individuals, and his death was only discovered months later.