Wenceslaus Johann Gustav Karsten (15 December 1732 – 17 April 1787) was a German mathematician. In 1768, Karsten published a graphic representation of infinitely many logarithms of real and complex numbers. He was a professor of Mathematics at the Universities of Rostock, Bützow and Halle.
Wenceslaus Johann Gustav Karsten | |
|---|---|
 W.J.G. Karsten Credit: Wellcome Library | |
| Born | 15 December 1732 |
| Died | 17 April 1787 (aged 54) |
| Nationality | German |
| Alma mater | University of Rostock |
| Known for | Complex logarithms |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | University of Halle |
Education and early life edit
He was born Neubrandenburg but grew up with his grandfather in Güstrow where he attended high school.[1] From 1750, he studied theology at the Universities in Rostock and Jena but also heard lectures on mathematics and philosophy.[1] In 1754, he returned to Güstrow with the aim to become a priest.[1] As he heard the University of Rostock was in need of a mathematician, he returned to the University of Rostock and also graduated in mathematics in February 1755.[1] The same year, he lectured on mathematics at the same University.[1] Not satisfied with his salary, he unsuccessfully applied as a teacher at high schools in Hamburg and Stettin.[1] After in 1758 the professor of logic Johann Ludwig Engel died, he was able to succeed him.[1]
Professional career edit
In 1760, after a dispute between Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the University of the appointment of a new professor of theology, lead the former to establish a new University in Bützow.[2] Karsten, who was paid by the Duke, had to teach at the new University.[1] Again, his financial situation was not as wished, and in 1763 Karsten wrote to Johann Euler, a son of Leonhard Euler, that he would like to become a lecturer in Saint Petersburg.[3] In 1764, he was offered an employment at the University of Helmstedt.[3] Still teaching at Bützow, he also received a call to Saint Petersburg in 1765.[3] But after the Duke raised his salary significantly, Karsten turned both job offers down and stayed at Bützow.[3] In 1778, after the death of Johann Andreas Segner, a Professor at the University of Halle, Karsten became Segners successor.[3] In Halle, he turned his interest to the natural sciences and chemistry.[4] In 1783, his assistant became Friedrich Albrecht Carl Gren, who would later become a prominent figure in the field of chemistry.[5] Karsten is credited with raising chemistry to an equally accepted department beside the physics at the universities.[4] Karsten died in 1787.[4]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kleinert, Andreas; Steiner, Thomas, eds. (2018). "Leonhard Euler Briefwechsel" (PDF). Birkhäuser Verlag. p. 33.
- ^ "1563-1827 - University of Rostock". www.uni-rostock.de. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
- ^ a b c d e Kleinert, Andreas; Steiner, Thomas, eds. (2018), p.34
- ^ a b c Kleinert, Andreas; Steiner, Thomas, eds. (2018), p.35
- ^ "Zum 200. Todestag von Friedrich Albrecht Carl Gren". DAZ.online. 1998-11-22. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
Further reading edit
- Wenceslaus Johann Gustav Karsten at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
- O'Connor, John J.; Robertson, Edmund F., "Wenceslaus Johann Gustav Karsten", MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive, University of St Andrews
- Wolfgang Engel. Angela Hartwig, Tilmann Schmidt (editors): Die Rektoren der Universität Rostock - 1419-2000. In: Beiträge zur Geschichte der Universität Rostock. Heft 23. Universitätsdruckerei Rostock-Universitätsarchiv 2000. ISBN 3-86009-173-5.
External links edit
- Catalogus Professorum Rostochiensium
- Wenceslaus Johann Gustav Karsten (1732-1787) University of Halle Biography