Frank Ramsey (mathematician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank P. Ramsey
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Ramsey, c. 1921
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| Born | 22 February 1903 |
| Died | 19 January 1930 (aged 26) |
| Education | Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A., 1923) |
| Spouse(s) | Lettice Ramsey |
| Era | 20th-century philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Analytic philosophy |
| Institutions | King's College, Cambridge |
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Main interests
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Notable ideas
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Frank Plumpton Ramsey (/ˈræmzi/; February 22, 1903 – January 19, 1930) was a brilliant British thinker. He made important contributions to philosophy, mathematics, and economics. Sadly, he passed away at just 26 years old.
Ramsey was a close friend of the famous philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. When he was still a university student, Ramsey helped translate Wittgenstein's important book, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, into English. He also played a big part in convincing Wittgenstein to return to studying philosophy at Cambridge University. Like Wittgenstein, Ramsey was part of a secret intellectual group called the Cambridge Apostles starting in 1921.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Frank Ramsey was born in Cambridge, England, on February 22, 1903. His father, Arthur Stanley Ramsey, was also a mathematician and led Magdalene College. Frank was the oldest of four children. His brother, Michael Ramsey, later became a very important religious leader, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Frank went to Winchester College in 1915. Later, he returned to Cambridge to study mathematics at Trinity College. There, he was taught by the famous economist John Maynard Keynes. In 1923, Ramsey earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics. He graduated with the highest honors and was named Senior Wrangler, meaning he was the top student in his class. Frank was known for being easy-going and modest, with many interests beyond his studies.
In 1925, Ramsey married Lettice Baker. Their wedding was at a Register Office because Ramsey was an atheist, meaning he did not believe in God. They had two daughters together. After Ramsey's death, his wife Lettice opened a photography studio.
In 1926, Ramsey became a university lecturer in mathematics. He also became a Director of Studies in Mathematics at King's College, Cambridge.
Ramsey and Ludwig Wittgenstein
Frank Ramsey was very interested in learning German. According to some, he learned the language very quickly, in just about a week. This skill allowed him to create the first draft of the English translation of Ludwig Wittgenstein's book, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Ramsey was only 19 at the time.
After graduating as the top math student in 1923, Ramsey traveled to Austria to visit Wittgenstein. At that time, Wittgenstein was teaching at a primary school in a small town. For two weeks, Ramsey and Wittgenstein discussed the difficult ideas in the Tractatus. Wittgenstein even made some corrections to Ramsey's English translation.
Ramsey and John Maynard Keynes worked together to encourage Wittgenstein to come back to Cambridge. Once Wittgenstein returned, Ramsey became his supervisor. Wittgenstein submitted his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus as his doctoral thesis. Later, Ramsey, Wittgenstein, and others helped arrange money for Wittgenstein to continue his research.
In 1929, Ramsey, Wittgenstein, and an Italian economist named Piero Sraffa often met to discuss math and philosophy. Both Sraffa and Wittgenstein later mentioned Ramsey's important ideas in their own work.
Ramsey's Early Death
Frank Ramsey suffered from ongoing liver problems. After an operation, he developed jaundice and passed away on January 19, 1930, in London. He was only 26 years old. It is thought that he might have gotten a serious infection called leptospirosis from swimming in the River Cam.
He is buried in the Parish of the Ascension Burial Ground in Cambridge. His parents are buried in the same spot.
Ramsey's Work
Mathematical Logic
One of the most famous ideas from Ramsey's 1928 paper, On a Problem of Formal Logic, is now called Ramsey's theorem. This theorem is about finding order within large, seemingly disordered systems. It shows that if a system is big enough, some kind of order must exist. This idea led to a whole new area of mathematics called Ramsey theory.
In 1926, Ramsey also made a simpler version of the Theory of Types. This theory was developed by Bertrand Russell and Alfred North Whitehead to avoid logical paradoxes in mathematics. Ramsey's simpler version is known as the Theory of Simple Type.
Philosophy
Ramsey wrote many important philosophical papers. He was one of the first to suggest a reliabilist theory of knowledge. This idea suggests that we know something if our belief in it comes from a reliable process.
He also developed an important idea about probability. He believed that probability is not just about objective facts, but also about our personal beliefs. This led to the idea of subjective probability or Bayesian probability. Ramsey suggested that you could measure how strongly someone believes something by seeing what odds they would accept in a bet. His ideas on probability were very important but were not widely recognized until many years later.
Economics
Ramsey also made major contributions to economics. He wrote three very important papers in this field. The economist Paul Samuelson described them as "three great legacies."
Saving and Growth
One of Ramsey's most famous economic papers was "A Mathematical Theory of Saving," published in 1928. In this paper, he used advanced math to figure out how much a country should save instead of spend. The goal was to maximize future well-being. This paper is considered one of the most important in 20th-century economics.
The ideas from this paper are now part of the Ramsey–Cass–Koopmans model. This model helps economists understand how economies grow over time.
Fair Taxation
In 1927, Ramsey published "A Contribution to the Theory of Taxation." This paper introduced the idea of Ramsey pricing. This concept helps a regulated company, like a utility, set prices so that it covers its costs while also being fair to customers. Ramsey's work helped answer the question of how to set taxes to cause the least amount of harm to people's well-being.
Truth and Probability
Ramsey's paper "Truth and Probability" (1926) explored the idea of probability. He argued that probability is not just about objective facts, but also about what each person knows and believes. He suggested that our personal beliefs influence probabilities. This led to the ideas of subjective probability and Bayesian probability. Ramsey believed that you could measure how strongly someone believes something by seeing what odds they would accept when betting on an outcome.
Legacy and Influence
Frank P. Ramsey Medal
The Decision Analysis Society gives out the Frank P. Ramsey Medal every year. This award recognizes people who have made big contributions to decision theory.
Frank Ramsey Professorships
Several universities have created special teaching positions named after Frank Ramsey. These include the Frank P. Ramsey Professor of Managerial Economics at Harvard University and the Frank Ramsey Professor of Economics at the University of Cambridge.
Ramsey Effect
The philosopher Donald Davidson came up with the term "the Ramsey Effect." This happens when someone thinks they've discovered a new philosophical idea, only to realize that Frank Ramsey had already thought of it!
See also
In Spanish: Frank P. Ramsey para niños
- Clique game
- Expected utility hypothesis
- Money pump
- Ramsey cardinal
- Structural Ramsey theory
- Quantum Bayesianism
- Theorem on friends and strangers
- Type theory
- History of type theory
- Frederick Rowbottom
- Bayesian epistemology
