G. Spencer-Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
G. Spencer-Brown
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| Born |
George Spencer-Brown
2 April 1923 Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England
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| Died | 25 August 2016 (aged 93) Market Lavington, Wiltshire, England
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| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Mathematician |
George Spencer-Brown (born April 2, 1923, died August 25, 2016) was a very talented English thinker. He was known for many things, like being a mathematician, engineer, and writer. He is most famous for his book Laws of Form. He once described himself as a "mathematician, engineer, psychologist, and author."
Contents
Life Story of George Spencer-Brown
George Spencer-Brown was born in Grimsby, England. He went to Mill Hill School and later studied medicine for a short time.
Early Career and Studies
From 1943 to 1947, he served in the Royal Navy. After that, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. There, he studied Philosophy and Psychology. He even met the famous philosopher Bertrand Russell at Cambridge.
Later, from 1952 to 1958, he taught philosophy at Christ Church, Oxford. He also earned two Master's degrees during this time. In 1957, his doctorate thesis, Probability and Scientific Inference, was published as a book.
Later Academic Life
In the 1960s, he worked with the Scottish psychiatrist R. D. Laing. In 1964, he became a lecturer in mathematics at the University of London. He also worked at the University of Cambridge.
During the 1970s and 1980s, he was a visiting professor. He taught at universities in Australia and the United States. These included University of Western Australia, Stanford University, and the University of Maryland, College Park.
Hobbies and Interests
George Spencer-Brown was also a very active person outside of his studies. He was a chess player for Cambridge University. He even held two world records as a glider pilot. He also wrote for the Daily Express newspaper about sports. Besides his academic books, he wrote some novels and poems. He sometimes used the pen name James Keys. George Spencer-Brown passed away on August 25, 2016.
Laws of Form Explained
Laws of Form is a special book that combines mathematics and philosophy. It came from Spencer-Brown's work in electronic engineering around 1960. He also gave lectures on mathematical logic that helped shape the book.
What is Laws of Form?
The book was first published in 1969 and has always been available since then. Spencer-Brown called the math system in his book the "primary algebra." Others have called it "boundary algebra." It's a simple way to understand basic math ideas. It's similar to systems created by Charles Sanders Peirce many years before.
Influence of the Book
Laws of Form has influenced many important thinkers. Some of these include Heinz von Foerster, Louis Kauffman, and Niklas Luhmann. These people have used and expanded on the ideas from his book.
A Claim About the Four-Color Theorem
In 1976, Spencer-Brown made a claim in a letter to Nature magazine. He said he had found a way to prove the Four color theorem. This theorem is about coloring maps so that no two neighboring regions have the same color.
The Unaccepted Proof
His proof was different because it didn't use computers. However, the generally accepted proof for the four-color theorem does use computers. Spencer-Brown's claimed proof has not been accepted by other mathematicians.
Selected Books by George Spencer-Brown
- 1957. Probability and Scientific Inference.
- 1961. Design with the Nor.
- 1970. 23 degrees of Paradise.
- 1971. Only Two can play this game.
- Selected editions of Laws of Form:
- "Claim of Proof to Four Colour Theorem." Letter to the Editor of Nature. 17 December 1976.
See also
- Distinction (philosophy)
