Carolyn Eisele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carolyn Eisele
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| Born | June 13, 1902 |
| Died | January 15, 2000 (aged 97) |
| Citizenship | American |
| Education | Columbia University |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematician |
Carolyn Eisele (June 13, 1902 – January 15, 2000) was an American mathematician and historian of mathematics. She was famous for being an expert on the writings of Charles Sanders Peirce, a very important American thinker.
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Becoming a Mathematician
Carolyn Eisele was born on June 13, 1902, in The Bronx, New York City. She went to Hunter College High School and then Hunter College. She graduated from college in 1923 with high honors.
She continued her studies at Columbia University, earning a master's degree in mathematics and education in 1925. At that time, Columbia University did not offer PhDs in mathematics to women. Carolyn Eisele still continued her advanced studies at other universities.
She taught mathematics at Hunter College for almost 50 years. She started teaching there right after graduating in 1923. By 1965, she became a full professor. She retired in 1972.
Carolyn Eisele passed away on January 15, 2000, in Manhattan, New York City.
Her Work on Charles Sanders Peirce
Carolyn Eisele became very interested in the history of mathematics. In 1947, she took time off from teaching to prepare a new course on this topic. While researching at the Columbia University library, she found an old manuscript. It was written by Charles Sanders Peirce, a famous American philosopher and scientist.
Discovering Peirce's Work
In 1951, she published an article about her exciting discovery. This article was in a math journal called Scripta Mathematica. She also studied Peirce's letters and his special map projection. This map projection was a unique way to draw the world.
A New Way to See Peirce
Carolyn Eisele believed that all of Peirce's work was connected. She saw his ideas in philosophy and logic as part of his math and science studies. She didn't think they were separate parts of his life. This way of looking at his work was very important.
From 1973 to 1975, Carolyn Eisele was the president of the Charles S. Peirce Society. This group studies Peirce's ideas. In 1976, she started publishing a large collection of Peirce's writings. It was called New Elements of Mathematics. That same year, she helped organize a big meeting in Amsterdam about Peirce.
Books by Carolyn Eisele
Carolyn Eisele wrote several books about her research:
- Studies in the Science and Mathematical Philosophy of Charles S. Peirce: Essays by Carolyn Eisele (1979)
- Historical Perspectives on Peirce’s Logic of Science: A History of Science (1985)
Awards and Special Recognitions
Carolyn Eisele received many awards for her important work.
- In 1960, she became a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This is a big honor for scientists.
- When she retired from Hunter College in 1972, she was added to the Hunter Hall of Fame.
- She received honorary doctorates from Texas Tech University in 1980 and from Lehigh University in 1982. An honorary doctorate is a special degree given to people who have done great things.
More Honors
- In 1980, she became an honorary member of the crew of a United States Coast Guard ship. The ship was named USC&GSS Peirce, after Charles Sanders Peirce.
- In 1981, a special meeting was held at Hunter College to honor her. The talks from this meeting were published in a math history journal.
- In 1985, she received an award from the New York Academy of Sciences. This award was for her work in behavioral sciences, history, and philosophy of science.
