Georg Cantor

Georg Ferdinand Ludwig Philipp Cantor (March 3, 1845 – January 6, 1918) was a mathematician who was born in Russia and lived in Germany for most of his life. He is best known as the creator of modern set theory. He is recognized by mathematicians for having extended set theory to the concept of transfinite numbers, including the cardinal and ordinal number classes. Cantor is also known for his work on the unique representations of functions by means of trigonometric series (a generalized version of a Fourier series).

Related Topics:
March 3 - 1845 - January 6 - 1918 - Mathematician - Set theory - Transfinite numbers - Cardinal - Ordinal - Unique representations of functions by means of trigonometric series - Fourier series

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Cantor's innovative mathematics faced significant resistance, especially by Leopold Kronecker, Hermann Weyl, L.E.J. Brouwer, Henri Poincaré and Ludwig Wittgenstein. The hostile attitude of many contemporaries is believed to have severely aggravated Cantor's emotional ailments and to have caused several nervous breakdowns.

Related Topics:
Cantor's innovative mathematics faced significant resistance - Leopold Kronecker - Hermann Weyl - L.E.J. Brouwer - Henri Poincaré - Ludwig Wittgenstein - Nervous breakdown

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Today, the vast majority of mathematicians accept Cantor's work on transfinite sets and recognize it as a paradigm shift of major importance. In the words of David Hilbert: "No one shall expel us from the Paradise that Cantor has created."

Related Topics:
Paradigm shift - David Hilbert

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