Sophie Germain’s Followers (28)

Sophie Germain

Born

in Rue Saint-Denis, Paris, France

April 01, 1776

Died

June 27, 1831

Website

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Germain

Genre

Science, Philosophy, Physics

Influences

Auguste Comte, Denis Diderot, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Carl Friedrich Ga ...more

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Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Marie-Sophie Germain (French pronunciation: [maʁi sɔfi ʒɛʁmɛ̃]; April 1, 1776 – June 27, 1831) was a French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher. Despite initial opposition from her parents and difficulties presented by society, she gained education from books in her father's library and from correspondence with famous mathematicians such as Lagrange, Legendre, and Gauss. One of the pioneers of elasticity theory, she won the grand prize from the Paris Academy of Sciences for her essay on the subject. Her work on Fermat's Last Theorem provided a foundation for mathematicians exploring the subject for hundreds of years after. Because of prejudice agains Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Marie-Sophie Germain (French pronunciation: [maʁi sɔfi ʒɛʁmɛ̃]; April 1, 1776 – June 27, 1831) was a French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher. Despite initial opposition from her parents and difficulties presented by society, she gained education from books in her father's library and from correspondence with famous mathematicians such as Lagrange, Legendre, and Gauss. One of the pioneers of elasticity theory, she won the grand prize from the Paris Academy of Sciences for her essay on the subject. Her work on Fermat's Last Theorem provided a foundation for mathematicians exploring the subject for hundreds of years after. Because of prejudice against her gender, she was unable to make a career out of mathematics, but she worked independently throughout her life. In recognition of her contribution towards advancement of mathematics, an honorary degree was also conferred upon her by University of Göttingen six years after her death. At the Centenary of her life, a street and a girls' school were named after her, and the Academy of Sciences established The Grand Prix Sophie Germain in her honour.

In addition to mathematics, Germain studied philosophy and psychology. She wanted to classify facts and generalize them into laws that could form a system of psychology and sociology, which were then just coming into existence. Her philosophy was highly praised by Auguste Comte.

Two of her philosophical works, Pensées diverses and Considérations générales sur l'état des sciences et des lettres, aux différentes époques de leur culture, were published, both posthumously. This was due in part to the efforts of Lherbette, her nephew, who collected her philosophical writings and published them. Pensées is a history of science and mathematics with Sophie's commentary. In Considérations, the work admired by Comte, Sophie argues that there are no differences between the sciences and the humanities.

Germain's resting place in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris is marked by a crumbling gravestone. At the centennial celebration of her life, a street and a girls' school were named after her, and a plaque was placed at the house where she died. The school houses a bust commissioned by the Paris City Council.

The Sophie Germain Prize, awarded annually by the Foundation Sophie Germain is conferred by the Academy of Sciences in Paris. Its purpose is to crown a researcher who has conducted research in fundamental mathematics. This award, in the amount of €8,000 was established in 2003, under the auspices of the Institut de France and its name pays homage to mathematician Sophie Germain.

Germain was referenced and quoted in David Auburn's 2001 play Proof. The protagonist is a young struggling female mathematician, Catherine, who found great inspiration in the work of Germain. Germain was also mentioned in John Madden's film adaptation of the same play "Proof (2005 film)" in a conversation between Catherine (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Hal (Jake Gyllenhaal).

In the fictional work "The Last Theorem" by Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl, Sophie Germain was credited with inspiring Ranjit Subramanian to solve Fermat's Last Theorem. ...more

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Sophie Germain’s books

Average rating: 2.67 · 3 ratings · 0 reviews · 10 distinct works

	Considérations Générales sur l'État des Sciences et des Lettres, aux Différentes Époques de Leur Culture, pp. 1-101 really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Les Chevaliers Sans Nom, Première époque (Les Chevaliers Sans Nom, #1) by Georges-Olivier Châteaureynaud, Fabrice Bourland, Bruno Bontempelli it was ok 2.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Recherches sur la théorie des surfaces élastiques (Cambridge Library Collection - Mathematics) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2012 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Remarques sur la nature, les bornes et l'étendue de la question des surfaces élastiques 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2013 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Oeuvres Philosophiques de Sophie Germain 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Considérations générales sur l'état des sciences et des lettres aux différentes époques: de leur culture 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2013 — 18 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cinq Lettres de Sophie Germain a Charles-Frederic Gauss - Primary Source Edition by Sophie Germain, Carl Friedrich Gauß, Baldassarre Boncompagni-Ludovisi (Creator) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Consideraciones generales. Pensamientos diversos: Las reflexiones de una de las científicas más brillantes de la historia by Sophie Germain, Susana Prieto Mori (Introduction) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mémoire sur l'emploi de l'épaisseur dans la théorie des surfaces élastiques. 1888 [Leather Bound] 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Nos pirates by Alain Kewes, Georges Foveau, Roland Fuentès 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2002	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Sophie Germain (?)

“In describing the honourable mission I charged him with, M. Pernety informed me that he made my name known to you. This leads me to confess that I am not as completely unknown to you as you might believe, but that fearing the ridicule attached to a female scientist, I have previously taken the name of M. LeBlanc in communicating to you those notes that, no doubt, do not deserve the indulgence with which you have responded.

{Explaining her use of a male pseudonym in a letter to Carl Friedrich Gauss, 1807}”
― Sophie Germain

tags: carl-friedrich-gauss, carl-gauss, confess, fear, female-scientist, gauss, name, ridicule, science

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Sophie Germain’s Followers (28)

Sophie Germain

Combine EditionsSophie Germain’s books

Combine Editions
Sophie Germain’s books