George Boole - A Literary Biography

George Boole was a famous British mathematician, philosopher, and inventor of Boolen Algebra. His Boolen algebra is the basis of all modern computer arithmetic. Of course, computers didn't exist in the 1800s, but Boole is credited with the modern advancement in computer science.

Having been taught by his father George Boole wasn't a child prodigy. A simple young man who grew up to be an educator. About sixteen years of age he became an assistant-master in a private school in Doncaster. Boole was also a teacher in Mr William Marrat's school in Liverpool in 1833. In 1849 Boole was the first professor of mathematics at the Queen's College in Cork. Now known as University Cork College, Boole has a library named after him there. George Boole maintained himself to the end of his life in one grade or another of the scholastic profession.

Boole was an established author of many papers on mathematics. His earliest published paper was one upon the "Theory of Analytical Transformations," printed in 1839. Most of George Boole's work can be found in the Catalogue of Scientific Memoirs. Bobble contributed 22 articles, including features in the Cambridge mathematical Journal. The Royal Society, a publishing company, printed six memoirs in Philosophical Transactions. The Royal Society of Edinberg and the Royal Irish Army also published some of Boole's work in 1862. Crelle's Journal also features G. Boole's writing. Adding to the list is a paper on the mathematical basis of logic, published in the Mechanic's Magazine for 1848. The works of Boole are contained in about fifty scattered articles and a few separate publications.

Completing two treaties during his life George Boole combined elementary exposition with the profound investigation of philosophy. Math was his passion. Treaties on Differential Equations and a Treatise on the Calculus of Finite Differences are valuable contributions to the important branches of mathematics. During the last few years of his life Boole was constantly engaged in extending his researches with the object of producing a second edition of his Differential Equations. This new edition, however, was never completed.

George Boole was one of few English mathematicians to write about logic. His novel views of logical method were due to the same profound confidence in symbolic reasoning. In 1847 Boole put his ideas into the pamphlet called Mathematical Analysis of Logic. Not pleased with this small pamphlet Boole composed An Investigation of the Laws of Thought, Which Are Founded the Mathematical Theories of Logic and Probabilities The Laws of Thought in 1854.

Still more original and remarkable was his system which is fully stated in Laws of Thought. Boole formed a general symbolic method of logical inference. The second part of the Laws of Thought contained a corresponding attempt to discover a general method in probabilities. This would enable us to use probabilities of events to determine the consequent probability of any logical event that took place.

Though Boole published little except his mathematical and logical works, his acquaintance with general literature was remarkable. Dante was his favorite poet, and Paradiso his favorite piece. He also studied the metaphysics of Aristotle, the ethics of Spinoza, the philosophical works of Cicero, and many kindred works. The Genius of Sir Isaac Newton , The Right Use of Leisure, The Claims of Science and The Social Aspect of Intellectual Culture were Boole's attempt to reflect upon his scientific, philosophical and religious questions. These numerous works were all printed at different times.

Claude Shannon discovered Boolean algebra while taking a philosophy class at the University of Michigan. Shannon wrote his master's thesis, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, on Boole algebra. Claude Shannon explained how Boole algebra could optimize the design of systems of electromechanical relays in telephones. He also proved that circuits with relays could solve Boolean algebra problems. Employing the properties of electrical switches to do logic is the basic concept that underlies all modern computers. Hence Boolean algebra is the foundation of practical digital circuit design. Boole's work explained through Shannon provided the theoretical grounding for the Digital Age.

SOURCES: Barron's Business Guides, Britannica