James R. Newman
Encyclopedia
James Roy Newman was an American mathematician
and mathematical historian. He was also a lawyer, practicing in the state of New York
from 1929 to 1941. During and after World War II
, he held several positions in the United States government, including Chief Intelligence Officer at the US Embassy in London
, Special Assistant to the Undersecretary of War, and Counsel to the US Senate Committee on Atomic Energy. In the latter capacity, he helped to draft the Atomic Energy Act of 1946
. He became a member of the board of editors for Scientific American
beginning in 1948. He is also credited for coining and first describing the mathematical concept "googol
" in his book (co-authored by Edward Kasner) Mathematics and The Imagination.
" and another large number called "googolplex"—this was the first time this number, and this term, was ever identified. In 1942 Newman wrote The Tools of War, which was an illustrated examination of warfare. In 1948 he published The control of atomic energy. In 1955 he wrote What is Science and in 1956 he published The World of Mathematics, a four volume library on the literature of mathematics from A'h-mosé the Scribe
to Albert Einstein
, presented with commentaries and notes (1956), which contains exactly what it claims to. The four volume series covers many branches of mathematics and represents a 15 year effort by Newman to collect what he felt were the most important essays in the field. With essays ranging from a biography of Srinivasa Ramanujan
by Newman to Bertrand Russell
's Definition of Number, the series is often praised as suitable for any level of mathematical skill. The series has been reprinted several times by various publishers. Newman also wrote Gödel's Proof (1958) with Ernest Nagel
, presenting the main results of Gödel's incompleteness theorem and the mathematical work and philosophies leading up to its discovery in a more accessible manner. This book inspired Douglas Hofstadter
to take up the study of mathematical logic, write his famous book Gödel, Escher, Bach
, and prepare a second edition of Gödel's Proof, published in 2002. In 1961 Newman wrote 'Science and Sensibility', in 1962 The Rule of Folly and in 1963 The Harper Encyclopedia of Science.
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 mathematical historian. He was also a lawyer, practicing in the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from 1929 to 1941. During and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he held several positions in the United States government, including Chief Intelligence Officer at the US Embassy in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Special Assistant to the Undersecretary of War, and Counsel to the US Senate Committee on Atomic Energy. In the latter capacity, he helped to draft the Atomic Energy Act of 1946
Atomic Energy Act of 1946
The Atomic Energy Act of 1946 determined how the United States federal government would control and manage the nuclear technology it had jointly developed with its wartime allies...
. He became a member of the board of editors for Scientific American
Scientific American
Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
beginning in 1948. He is also credited for coining and first describing the mathematical concept "googol
Googol
A googol is the large number 10100, that is, the digit 1 followed by 100 zeros:The term was coined in 1938 by 9-year-old Milton Sirotta , nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner...
" in his book (co-authored by Edward Kasner) Mathematics and The Imagination.
Author
In 1940 Newman wrote (with Edward Kasner) Mathematics and the Imagination in which he identified the mathematical concept of a very large but finite number, which he called "googolGoogol
A googol is the large number 10100, that is, the digit 1 followed by 100 zeros:The term was coined in 1938 by 9-year-old Milton Sirotta , nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner...
" and another large number called "googolplex"—this was the first time this number, and this term, was ever identified. In 1942 Newman wrote The Tools of War, which was an illustrated examination of warfare. In 1948 he published The control of atomic energy. In 1955 he wrote What is Science and in 1956 he published The World of Mathematics, a four volume library on the literature of mathematics from A'h-mosé the Scribe
Ahmes
Ahmes was an ancient Egyptian scribe who lived during the Second Intermediate Period and the beginning of the Eighteenth Dynasty . He wrote the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, a work of Ancient Egyptian mathematics that dates to approximately 1650 BC; he is the earliest contributor to mathematics...
to Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
, presented with commentaries and notes (1956), which contains exactly what it claims to. The four volume series covers many branches of mathematics and represents a 15 year effort by Newman to collect what he felt were the most important essays in the field. With essays ranging from a biography of Srinivasa Ramanujan
Srinivasa Ramanujan
Srīnivāsa Aiyangār Rāmānujan FRS, better known as Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan was a Indian mathematician and autodidact who, with almost no formal training in pure mathematics, made extraordinary contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series and continued fractions...
by Newman to Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had never been any of these things...
's Definition of Number, the series is often praised as suitable for any level of mathematical skill. The series has been reprinted several times by various publishers. Newman also wrote Gödel's Proof (1958) with Ernest Nagel
Ernest Nagel
Ernest Nagel was a Czech-American philosopher of science. Along with Rudolf Carnap, Hans Reichenbach, and Carl Hempel, he is sometimes seen as one of the major figures of the logical positivist movement....
, presenting the main results of Gödel's incompleteness theorem and the mathematical work and philosophies leading up to its discovery in a more accessible manner. This book inspired Douglas Hofstadter
Douglas Hofstadter
Douglas Richard Hofstadter is an American academic whose research focuses on consciousness, analogy-making, artistic creation, literary translation, and discovery in mathematics and physics...
to take up the study of mathematical logic, write his famous book Gödel, Escher, Bach
Gödel, Escher, Bach
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid is a book by Douglas Hofstadter, described by his publishing company as "a metaphorical fugue on minds and machines in the spirit of Lewis Carroll"....
, and prepare a second edition of Gödel's Proof, published in 2002. In 1961 Newman wrote 'Science and Sensibility', in 1962 The Rule of Folly and in 1963 The Harper Encyclopedia of Science.
External links
- "Where Are You When I Need You, James R. Newman?", a poem dedicated to Newman and The World of Mathematics.
- "The World of Mathematics by James R. Newman"—a 1989 book review in the journal Nature by David E. H. Jones.