François Walther de Sluze
Encyclopedia
René-François Walter de Sluse (Slusius, also Walther de Sluze), canon of Liège and abbot of Amay
(2 July 1622 – 19 March 1685) was a Walloon
mathematician
.
(1638–1642) and received a master degree in law from the University of Rome, La Sapienza in 1643. There he also studied several languages, mathematics
and astronomy
. Aside from mathematics he also produced works on astronomy, physics
, natural history
, general history
and theological
subjects related to his work in the Church. He became a canon
of the Catholic church in 1650, soon after which he became canon of Liège. In 1666 he took a new position as abbot of Amay. While in those positions, he maintained correspondence with Blaise Pascal
, Christiaan Huygens, John Wallis, and Michelangelo Ricci. He was elected to the Royal Society
in 1674.
of a curve
an expression equivalent to
He also wrote numerous tracts, and in particular discussed at some length spiral
s and points of inflexion. The Conchoid of de Sluze
is named after him. He is described by John Wallis in his Algebra as "a very accurate and ingenious person." Several of his works were included in the Transactions of the Royal Society, e.g. his method of drawing tangents to geometrical curves.
Amay
Amay is a Belgian municipality located in the Walloon province of Liège. On January 1, 2006, Amay had a total population of 13,144. The total area is 27.61 km² which gives a population density of approximately 476 inhabitants per km²...
(2 July 1622 – 19 March 1685) was a Walloon
Walloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
.
Biography
He studied at the University of LeuvenCatholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
(1638–1642) and received a master degree in law from the University of Rome, La Sapienza in 1643. There he also studied several languages, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. Aside from mathematics he also produced works on astronomy, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, general history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
subjects related to his work in the Church. He became a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of the Catholic church in 1650, soon after which he became canon of Liège. In 1666 he took a new position as abbot of Amay. While in those positions, he maintained correspondence with Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal , was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen...
, Christiaan Huygens, John Wallis, and Michelangelo Ricci. He was elected to the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1674.
Mathematical contributions
He found for the subtangentSubtangent
In geometry, the subtangent and related terms are certain line segments defined using the line tangent to a curve at a given point and the coordinate axes...
of a curve
Curve
In mathematics, a curve is, generally speaking, an object similar to a line but which is not required to be straight...
- f(x, y) = 0
an expression equivalent to
He also wrote numerous tracts, and in particular discussed at some length spiral
Spiral
In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a central point, getting progressively farther away as it revolves around the point.-Spiral or helix:...
s and points of inflexion. The Conchoid of de Sluze
Conchoid of de Sluze
The conchoid of de Sluze is a family of plane curves studied in 1662 by René François Walter, baron de Sluze.The curves are defined by the polar equationr=\sec\theta+a\cos\theta \,....
is named after him. He is described by John Wallis in his Algebra as "a very accurate and ingenious person." Several of his works were included in the Transactions of the Royal Society, e.g. his method of drawing tangents to geometrical curves.