Józef Maria Hoene-Wronski
Encyclopedia
Józef Maria Hoene-Wroński was a Polish
Messianist philosopher who worked in many fields of knowledge, not only as philosopher but also as mathematician
, physicist
, inventor, lawyer
, and economist
. He was born Hoene but changed his name in 1815.
and came from a Czech family settled in the western Poland. Józef was educated in Poznań
and Warsaw
. In 1794 he served in Poland's Kościuszko Uprising
as a second lieutenant of artillery, was taken prisoner, and remained until 1797 in the Russian Army. After resigning in the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1798, he studied in Germany
until 1800, when he enlisted in the Polish Legion at Marseille
. There he began his scientific and scholarly work and conceived the idea of a great philosophical system. Ten years later he moved to Paris
and lived there until his death, working indefatigably to the last in the most difficult material circumstances.
He wrote exclusively in French
, desirous that his ideas, of whose immortality he was convinced, should be accessible to all; he worked, he said, "through France for Poland." He published over a hundred works, and left many more in manuscript. When dying in the seventy-fifth year of his life, he exclaimed: "God Almighty, there's still so much more I wanted to say!"
In science, Hoene-Wroński set himself maximal tasks: the complete reform of philosophy and of mathematics, astronomy, technology. He not only elaborated a system of philosophy, but applications to politics, history, economics, law, psychology, music, pedagogy
. It was his aspiration to reform human knowledge in an "absolute, that is, ultimate" manner.
In 1803 Wroński joined the observatory
in Marseille
, and began developing an enormously complex theory of the structure and origin of the universe
. During this period, he took up a correspondence with nearly all the major scientists and mathematicians of his day, and was well respected at the observatory. In 1810 he published the results of his research in a massive tome, which he advocated as a new foundation for all of science and mathematics. His theories were strongly Pythagorean
, holding numbers and their properties to be the fundamental underpinning of essentially everything in the universe. His claims met with little acceptance, and his research and theories were generally dismissed as grandiose rubbish. His earlier correspondence with major figures led to his writings gaining more attention than a typical crackpot theory, even earning a review from the great mathematician Joseph Louis Lagrange
(which turned out to be exceedingly unfavorable). In the ensuing controversy, he was forced to leave the observatory.
He immediately turned his focus towards applying philosophy to mathematics (his critics charged that this meant dispensing with mathematical rigor in favor of generalities). In 1812 he published a paper purporting to show that every equation
has an algebraic
solution, directly contradicting results that had just been published by Paolo Ruffini
; however, Ruffini turned out to be correct.
Thereafter he turned his attention to disparate and largely unsuccessful pursuits. He developed a fantastical design for caterpillar
-like vehicles which he intended to replace railroad transportation, but did not manage to persuade anyone to give the design serious attention. In 1819 he went to England
to try to gain a grant from the Board of Longitude
to build a device to determine longitude
at sea. After initial difficulties, he was given an opportunity to address the Board, but his grandiose address, On the Longitude, contained much philosophizing and generalities, but no specific plans for a working device, and thus failed to gain him support from the Board. He remained for several years in England, in 1821 publishing in London
an introductory text on mathematics, which moderately improved his financial situation.
In 1822 he returned to France, and again took up a combination of mathematics and fantastical pursuits, largely in poverty and scorned by intellectual society. Along with his continuing Pythagorean obsession, he spent much time working on several notoriously futile endeavors, including attempts to build a perpetual motion machine, to square the circle
, and to build a machine to predict the future (which he dubbed the "prognometre"). In 1852, shortly before his death, he did find a willing audience for his ideas: the occultist Eliphas Levi
met Wroński and was greatly impressed and influenced by his work and dedication.
Wroński died in 1853 in Neuilly-sur-Seine
, France, on the outskirts of Paris.
. He had strongly criticized Lagrange
's use of infinite series, introducing instead a novel series expansion for a function. His criticisms of Lagrange were for the most part unfounded, but the coefficients in Wroński's new series were found to be important after his death, forming the determinant
s now known as the Wronskian
s (the name was given them by Thomas Muir
in 1882).
The level of Wroński's scientific and scholarly accomplishments, and the amplitude of his objectives, placed Wroński in the first rank of European metaphysicians in the early 19th century. But the abstractness, formalism and obscurity of his thought, the difficulty of his language, his boundless self-assurance, his uncompromising judgments of others—alienated. He was perhaps the most original of the Polish metaphysicians, but others were more representative of the Polish outlook.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Messianist philosopher who worked in many fields of knowledge, not only as philosopher but also as 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....
, physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, inventor, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, and economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
. He was born Hoene but changed his name in 1815.
Life
His father, Antoni, was the municipal architect of PoznańPoznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
and came from a Czech family settled in the western Poland. Józef was educated in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
and Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. In 1794 he served in Poland's Kościuszko Uprising
Kosciuszko Uprising
The Kościuszko Uprising was an uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland, Belarus and Lithuania in 1794...
as a second lieutenant of artillery, was taken prisoner, and remained until 1797 in the Russian Army. After resigning in the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1798, he studied in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
until 1800, when he enlisted in the Polish Legion at Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
. There he began his scientific and scholarly work and conceived the idea of a great philosophical system. Ten years later he moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and lived there until his death, working indefatigably to the last in the most difficult material circumstances.
He wrote exclusively in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, desirous that his ideas, of whose immortality he was convinced, should be accessible to all; he worked, he said, "through France for Poland." He published over a hundred works, and left many more in manuscript. When dying in the seventy-fifth year of his life, he exclaimed: "God Almighty, there's still so much more I wanted to say!"
In science, Hoene-Wroński set himself maximal tasks: the complete reform of philosophy and of mathematics, astronomy, technology. He not only elaborated a system of philosophy, but applications to politics, history, economics, law, psychology, music, pedagogy
Pedagogy
Pedagogy is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction....
. It was his aspiration to reform human knowledge in an "absolute, that is, ultimate" manner.
In 1803 Wroński joined the observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, and began developing an enormously complex theory of the structure and origin of the universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
. During this period, he took up a correspondence with nearly all the major scientists and mathematicians of his day, and was well respected at the observatory. In 1810 he published the results of his research in a massive tome, which he advocated as a new foundation for all of science and mathematics. His theories were strongly Pythagorean
Pythagoreanism
Pythagoreanism was the system of esoteric and metaphysical beliefs held by Pythagoras and his followers, the Pythagoreans, who were considerably influenced by mathematics. Pythagoreanism originated in the 5th century BCE and greatly influenced Platonism...
, holding numbers and their properties to be the fundamental underpinning of essentially everything in the universe. His claims met with little acceptance, and his research and theories were generally dismissed as grandiose rubbish. His earlier correspondence with major figures led to his writings gaining more attention than a typical crackpot theory, even earning a review from the great mathematician Joseph Louis Lagrange
Joseph Louis Lagrange
Joseph-Louis Lagrange , born Giuseppe Lodovico Lagrangia, was a mathematician and astronomer, who was born in Turin, Piedmont, lived part of his life in Prussia and part in France, making significant contributions to all fields of analysis, to number theory, and to classical and celestial mechanics...
(which turned out to be exceedingly unfavorable). In the ensuing controversy, he was forced to leave the observatory.
He immediately turned his focus towards applying philosophy to mathematics (his critics charged that this meant dispensing with mathematical rigor in favor of generalities). In 1812 he published a paper purporting to show that every equation
Equation
An equation is a mathematical statement that asserts the equality of two expressions. In modern notation, this is written by placing the expressions on either side of an equals sign , for examplex + 3 = 5\,asserts that x+3 is equal to 5...
has an algebraic
Algebraic
Algebraic may refer to any subject within the algebra branch of mathematics and related branches like algebraic geometry and algebraic topology.Algebraic may also refer to:...
solution, directly contradicting results that had just been published by Paolo Ruffini
Paolo Ruffini
Paolo Ruffini was an Italian mathematician and philosopher.By 1788 he had earned university degrees in philosophy, medicine/surgery, and mathematics...
; however, Ruffini turned out to be correct.
Thereafter he turned his attention to disparate and largely unsuccessful pursuits. He developed a fantastical design for caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
-like vehicles which he intended to replace railroad transportation, but did not manage to persuade anyone to give the design serious attention. In 1819 he went to 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...
to try to gain a grant from the Board of Longitude
Board of Longitude
The Board of Longitude was the popular name for the Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea. It was a British Government body formed in 1714 to administer a scheme of prizes intended to encourage innovators to solve the problem of finding longitude at sea.-Origins:Navigators and...
to build a device to determine longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
at sea. After initial difficulties, he was given an opportunity to address the Board, but his grandiose address, On the Longitude, contained much philosophizing and generalities, but no specific plans for a working device, and thus failed to gain him support from the Board. He remained for several years in England, in 1821 publishing 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...
an introductory text on mathematics, which moderately improved his financial situation.
In 1822 he returned to France, and again took up a combination of mathematics and fantastical pursuits, largely in poverty and scorned by intellectual society. Along with his continuing Pythagorean obsession, he spent much time working on several notoriously futile endeavors, including attempts to build a perpetual motion machine, to square the circle
Squaring the circle
Squaring the circle is a problem proposed by ancient geometers. It is the challenge of constructing a square with the same area as a given circle by using only a finite number of steps with compass and straightedge...
, and to build a machine to predict the future (which he dubbed the "prognometre"). In 1852, shortly before his death, he did find a willing audience for his ideas: the occultist Eliphas Levi
Eliphas Levi
Eliphas Lévi, born Alphonse Louis Constant , was a French occult author and purported magician."Eliphas Lévi," the name under which he published his books, was his attempt to translate or transliterate his given names "Alphonse Louis" into Hebrew although he was not Jewish.His second wife was...
met Wroński and was greatly impressed and influenced by his work and dedication.
Wroński died in 1853 in Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although Neuilly is technically a suburb of Paris, it is immediately adjacent to the city and directly extends it. The area is composed of mostly wealthy, select residential...
, France, on the outskirts of Paris.
Legacy
Though during his lifetime nearly all his work was dismissed as nonsense, some of it has come in later years to be seen in a more favorable light. Although nearly all his grandiose claims were in fact unfounded, his mathematical work contains flashes of deep insight and many important intermediary results. Most significant was his work on seriesSeries (mathematics)
A series is the sum of the terms of a sequence. Finite sequences and series have defined first and last terms, whereas infinite sequences and series continue indefinitely....
. He had strongly criticized Lagrange
Joseph Louis Lagrange
Joseph-Louis Lagrange , born Giuseppe Lodovico Lagrangia, was a mathematician and astronomer, who was born in Turin, Piedmont, lived part of his life in Prussia and part in France, making significant contributions to all fields of analysis, to number theory, and to classical and celestial mechanics...
's use of infinite series, introducing instead a novel series expansion for a function. His criticisms of Lagrange were for the most part unfounded, but the coefficients in Wroński's new series were found to be important after his death, forming the determinant
Determinant
In linear algebra, the determinant is a value associated with a square matrix. It can be computed from the entries of the matrix by a specific arithmetic expression, while other ways to determine its value exist as well...
s now known as the Wronskian
Wronskian
In mathematics, the Wronskian is a determinant introduced by and named by . It is used in the study of differential equations, where it can sometimes be used to show that a set of solutions is linearly independent.-Definition:...
s (the name was given them by Thomas Muir
Thomas Muir (mathematician)
Sir Thomas Muir FRS was a Scottish mathematician, remembered as an authority on determinants. He was born in Stonebyres in South Lanarkshire, and brought up in the small town of Biggar. At the University of Glasgow he changed his studies from classics to mathematics after advice from the future...
in 1882).
The level of Wroński's scientific and scholarly accomplishments, and the amplitude of his objectives, placed Wroński in the first rank of European metaphysicians in the early 19th century. But the abstractness, formalism and obscurity of his thought, the difficulty of his language, his boundless self-assurance, his uncompromising judgments of others—alienated. He was perhaps the most original of the Polish metaphysicians, but others were more representative of the Polish outlook.
Works
Books- Introduction à la philosophie des mathématiques, et technie de l'algorithmie (1811)
- Prodrome du Messianisme; Révélation des destinées de l’humanité (1831)
- Réflexions philosophiques sur un miroir parabolique (1832)
- Resolution of equation polynomials of tous les degries (in anglishe) (1833)
See also
- History of philosophy in Poland
- List of Poles
External links
- Piotr Pragacz, Notes on the life and work of Jozef Maria Hoene-Wronski, preprint (March 2007)
- J. Hoëné de Wronski, Introduction à la philosophie des mathématiques, et technie de l'algorithmie, 1811
- Roman Murawski, "The Philosophy of Hoene-Wronski" in: Organon 35, 2006, pp. 143-150