Birkhoff, George David (1884–1944)
The foremost American mathematician of the early 20th century and the first
prominent dynamicist in the New World. He is known for his work on linear
differential equations and
difference equations, and was
also deeply interested in and made contributions to the analysis of dynamical
systems, celestial mechanics, the four-color
map problem, and function spaces. Although a geometer at heart, he discovered
new symbolic solution methods. He saw beyond the theory of oscillations,
created a rigorous theory of ergodic behavior,
and foresaw dynamical models for chaos. In
addition he wrote on the foundations of relativity
and quantum mechanics and on art and music,
e.g., Aesthetic Measure (1933).
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• MATHEMATICIANS
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