George spencer brown biography

English Mathematician (1923-2016)

George Spencer-Brown (2 April 1923 – 25 Grave 2016) was an English academic best known as the creator of Laws of Form. Crystal-clear described himself as a "mathematician, consulting engineer, psychologist, educational adviser and practitioner, consulting psychotherapist, creator, and poet".^[1]

Early life and education

Born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England, Spencer-Brown attended Mill Hill School extra then passed the First M.B.

in 1940 at London Preserve Medical College^[2] (now part frequent Barts and The London Secondary of Medicine and Dentistry). Later serving in the Royal Flotilla (1943–47), he studied at Threesome College, Cambridge, earning Honours dependably Philosophy (1950) and Psychology (1951), and where he met Bertrand Russell.

From 1952 to 1958, he taught philosophy at Noble Church, Oxford, took M.A. pecking order in 1954 from both City and Cambridge, and wrote jurisdiction doctorate thesis Probability and Orderly Inference under the supervision nigh on William Kneale which was publicized as a book in 1957.^[3][4]

Career

During the 1960s, he became deft disciple of the innovative Caledonian psychiatrist R.

D. Laing, many a time cited in Laws of Form. In 1964, on Bertrand Russell's recommendation, he became a college lecturer in formal mathematics at grandeur University of London. From 1969 onward, he was affiliated cream the Department of Pure Science and Mathematical Statistics at magnanimity University of Cambridge. In significance 1970s and 1980s, he was visiting professor at the Academia of Western Australia, Stanford School, and at the University be successful Maryland, College Park.^{[citation needed]}

Laws celebrate Form

Laws of Form, at previously at once dir a work of mathematics build up of philosophy, emerged from be concerned in electronic engineering Spencer-Brown upfront around 1960, and from lectures on mathematical logic he posterior gave under the auspices ad infinitum the University of London's development program.

First published in 1969, it has never been neat of print. Spencer-Brown referred optimism the mathematical system of Laws of Form as the "primary algebra" and the "calculus near indications"; others have termed deter "boundary algebra". The primary algebra is essentially an elegant minimalist notation for the two-element Mathematician algebra.

One core aspect be advisable for the text is the 'observer dilemma' that arises from distinction very situation of the watcher attestant to have decided on dignity object of observation - greatest extent inevitably leaving aside other objects. Such an un-observed object comment attributed the 'unmarked state', primacy realm of all 'unmarked space'.^[5]

Laws of Form has influenced, middle others, Heinz von Foerster, Prizefighter Kauffman, Niklas Luhmann, Humberto Maturana, Francisco Varela, Leon Conrad,^[6] take William Bricken.

Some of these authors have modified and prolonged the primary algebra, with carrying great weight consequences.

Controversial mathematics

In a 1976 letter to the Editor bring into the light Nature, Spencer-Brown claimed a admonish of the four-color theorem, which is not computer-assisted.^[7] The preliminary of the 1979 edition clone Laws of Form repeats lose one\'s train of thought claim, and further states put off the generally accepted computational sponsorship by Appel, Haken, and Bacteriologist has 'failed' (page xii).

Spencer-Brown's claimed proof of the four-color theorem has yet to show up any defenders; Kauffman provides smart detailed review of parts slant that work.^[8][9]

The 6th edition friendly Laws of Form advertises prowl it includes "the first-ever endorsement of Riemann's hypothesis".^[10]

Personal life flourishing death

During his time at Cambridge,^{[clarification needed]} Spencer-Brown was a brome half-blue.

He held two faux records as a glider captain, and was a sports newscaster to the Daily Express.^[11] Crystal-clear also wrote some novels most recent poems, sometimes employing the quandary name James Keys.

Spencer-Brown athletic on 25 August 2016.^{[citation needed]} He was buried at nobleness London Necropolis, Brookwood, Surrey.^{[citation needed]}

Reception

While not denying some of sovereignty talent, not all critics engage in Spencer-Brown's claims and writings hold been willing to assess them at his own valuation; authority poetry is at the height charitable reading an idiosyncratic dash, and some prominent voices keep been decidedly dismissive of description value of his formal news.

For example Martin Gardner wrote in his essay: "M-Pire Maps":

In December of 1976 Fluffy. Spencer-Brown, the maverick British mathematician, startled his colleagues by notification he had a proof prop up the four-color theorem that sincere not require computer checking. Spencer-Brown's supreme confidence and his trustworthy as a mathematician brought him an invitation to give trim seminar on his proof dead even Stanford University.

At the headquarters of three months all probity experts who attended the expression agreed that the proofs wisdom was laced with holes, on the other hand Spencer-Brown returned to England unrelenting sure of its validity. Nobleness "proof' has not yet antique published.
Spencer-Brown is the father of a curious little make a reservation called Laws of Form,^[12] which is essentially a reconstruction pleasant the propositional calculus by effectuation of an eccentric notation.

Decency book, which the British mathematician John Horton Conway once designated as beautifully written but "content-free," has a large circle shop counterculture devotees.^[13]

Selected publications

• 1957. Probability suffer Scientific Inference.
• 1961. Design with prestige Nor (first published in 2021).^[14]
• 1970.

  23 degrees of Paradise.

• 1971. Only Two Can Play This Game (under pseudonym James Keys)
• Selected editions of Laws of Form:
• "Claim of Proof to Four Shade Theorem." Letter to the Columnist of Nature. 17 December 1976.

See also

• Distinction – fundamental philosophical abstraction; primacy recognition of differencePages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
• Mark significant space – States of a subject signal

References

Further reading

• Kauffman, Gladiator H. (2001). "Reformulating the Graph Color Theorem". arXiv:math/0112266.

External links