Guido Grandi
Encyclopedia
Dom
Guido Grandi, O.S.B. Cam.
, (October 1, 1671 – July 4, 1742) was an Italian
monk
, priest
, philosopher, mathematician
, and engineer
.
, Italy
and christened Luigi. When he was of age, he was educated at the Jesuit college there. After he completed his studies there in 1687, he entered the novitiate
of the Camaldolese
monks at Ferrara
and took the name of Guido. In 1693 he was sent to the Monastery of St. Gregory the Great, the Camaldolese house in Rome, to complete his studies in philosophy
and theology
in preparation for Holy Orders
. A year later, Grandi was assigned as professor of both fields at the Camaldolese Monastery of St. Mary of the Angels
in Florence
. It appears that it was during this period of his life that he took an interest in mathematics
. He did his research privately, however, as he was appointed professor of philosophy at St. Gregory Monastery in 1700, subequently holding a post in the same field in Pisa
.
By 1707, however, Dom Grandi had developed such a reputation in the field of mathematics that he was named court mathematician to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III de Medici. In that post, he also worked as an engineer, being appointed Superintendent of Water for the Duchy
, and in that capacity he was involved in the drainage of the Chiana Valley.In 1709 he visited England
where he clearly impressed his colleagues there, as he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. The University of Pisa
named him Professor of Mathematics in 1714. It was there that he died on 4 July, 1742.
. Through a mistranslation by the translator of her work into English who mistook the term "witch" ( for Grandi's term, this curve became known in English as the witch of Agnesi
.. It was through his studies on this curve that Grandi helped introduce Leibniz
' ideas on calculus
to Italy.
In mathematics Grandi is best known for his work Flores geometrici (1728), studying the rose curve
, a curve which has the shape of a petalled flower, and for Grandi's series. He named the rose curve rhodonea. He also contributed to the Note on the Treatise of Galileo Concerning Natural Motion in the first Florentine edition of Galileo Galilei
's works.
Dom (title)
Dom is a title of respect prefixed to the given name. It derives from Latin Dominus.It is used in English for certain Benedictine and Carthusian monks, and for members of certain communities of Canons Regular. Examples include Benedictine monks of the English Benedictine Congregation...
Guido Grandi, O.S.B. Cam.
Camaldolese
The Camaldolese monks and nuns are part of the Benedictine family of monastic communities which follow the way of life outlined in the Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century...
, (October 1, 1671 – July 4, 1742) was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, philosopher, 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....
, and engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
.
Life
Grandi was born in 1671 in CremonaCremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and christened Luigi. When he was of age, he was educated at the Jesuit college there. After he completed his studies there in 1687, he entered the novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
of the Camaldolese
Camaldolese
The Camaldolese monks and nuns are part of the Benedictine family of monastic communities which follow the way of life outlined in the Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century...
monks at Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
and took the name of Guido. In 1693 he was sent to the Monastery of St. Gregory the Great, the Camaldolese house in Rome, to complete his studies in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and theology
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...
in preparation for Holy Orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
. A year later, Grandi was assigned as professor of both fields at the Camaldolese Monastery of St. Mary of the Angels
St. Mary of the Angels Monastery (Florence)
The Monastery of St. Mary of the Angels was a monastery of the Camaldolese Order in Florence, Italy.-History:During the early part of the Renaissance, this monastery was known for the high-quality manuscripts...
in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. It appears that it was during this period of his life that he took an interest in 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...
. He did his research privately, however, as he was appointed professor of philosophy at St. Gregory Monastery in 1700, subequently holding a post in the same field in Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
.
By 1707, however, Dom Grandi had developed such a reputation in the field of mathematics that he was named court mathematician to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III de Medici. In that post, he also worked as an engineer, being appointed Superintendent of Water for the Duchy
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
, and in that capacity he was involved in the drainage of the Chiana Valley.In 1709 he visited England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he clearly impressed his colleagues there, as he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. The University of Pisa
University of Pisa
The University of Pisa , located in Pisa, Tuscany, is one of the oldest universities in Italy. It was formally founded on September 3, 1343 by an edict of Pope Clement VI, although there had been lectures on law in Pisa since the 11th century...
named him Professor of Mathematics in 1714. It was there that he died on 4 July, 1742.
Mathematical studies
In 1701 Grandi published a study of the conical loxodrome, followed by a study in 1703 of the curve which he named versiera, from the (to turn). This curve was later studied by one of the few female scientists to achieve a degree, Maria Gaetana AgnesiMaria Gaetana Agnesi
Maria Gaetana Agnesi was an Italian linguist, mathematician, and philosopher. Agnesi is credited with writing the first book discussing both differential and integral calculus. She was an honorary member of the faculty at the University of Bologna...
. Through a mistranslation by the translator of her work into English who mistook the term "witch" ( for Grandi's term, this curve became known in English as the witch of Agnesi
Witch of Agnesi
In mathematics, the witch of Agnesi , sometimes called the witch of Maria Agnesi is the curve defined as follows.Starting with a fixed circle, a point O on the circle is chosen. For any other point A on the circle, the secant line OA is drawn. The point M is diametrically opposite O. The line OA...
.. It was through his studies on this curve that Grandi helped introduce Leibniz
Gottfried Leibniz
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was a German philosopher and mathematician. He wrote in different languages, primarily in Latin , French and German ....
' ideas on calculus
Calculus
Calculus is a branch of mathematics focused on limits, functions, derivatives, integrals, and infinite series. This subject constitutes a major part of modern mathematics education. It has two major branches, differential calculus and integral calculus, which are related by the fundamental theorem...
to Italy.
In mathematics Grandi is best known for his work Flores geometrici (1728), studying the rose curve
Rose (mathematics)
In mathematics, a rose or rhodonea curve is a sinusoid plotted in polar coordinates. Up to similarity, thesecurves can all be expressed by a polar equation of the form\!\,r=\cos.If k is an integer, the curve will be rose shaped with...
, a curve which has the shape of a petalled flower, and for Grandi's series. He named the rose curve rhodonea. He also contributed to the Note on the Treatise of Galileo Concerning Natural Motion in the first Florentine edition of Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei , was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism...
's works.
External links
- Galileo Project: Guido Grandi