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Alfred North Whitehead, English mathematician and philosopher, was born in England in 1861, schooled at home until age 14, and graduated at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1884. There he was a lecturer in mathematics until 1911. At the University of London he was a lecturer in applied mathematics and mechanics (1911--14) and professor of mathematics (1914--24). Ultimately, he moved to Harvard in 1924 where he was professor of philosophy and remained there for the rest of his life. He died in 1947 at the age of 86.

Whitehead's distinction rests upon his contributions to mathematics and logic, the philosophy of science, and the study of metaphysics. In the field of mathematics Whitehead extended the range of algebraic procedures and, in collaboration with Bertrand Russell, wrote Principia Mathematica (3 vol., 1910--13), a landmark in the study of logic. His inquiries into the structure of science provided the background for his metaphysical writings. He criticized traditional categories of philosophy for their failure to convey the essential interrelation of matter, space, and time.

Whitehead's life is often described as having three distinct phases roughly corresponding to his academic positions, and his influence can be felt in all three areas--that of a mathematician and logician (Trinity1884-1910), a philosopher of science (London 1910-1924) and a philosopher of metaphysics (Harvard from 1924 onward). During this latter period he developed a comprehensive metaphysical system which has come to be known as Process Philosophy. In contrast to traditional philosophies, he asserted the essential inter-relationship of matter, space, and time; that objects may be understood as a series of events and processes. This concept was elaborated further in his book Process and Reality (1929) to assert that the process of becoming, what he calls an actual occasion, rather than substance, constituted the fundamental metaphysical constituent of the universe. This was the genesis of the school of Process Philosophy which later influenced what has become to be known as Process New Thought.

His philosophic construction as applied to religion offered a concept of God as interdependent with the world and developing with it; he rejected the notion of a perfect and omnipotent God. In 1945 he received the Order of Merit. His works include The Organisation of Thought (1916), Principles of Natural Knowledge (1919), The Concept of Nature (1920), The Principle of Relativity (1922), Science and the Modern World (1925), Religion in the Making (1926), Symbolism (1927), The Aims of Education and Other Essays (1929), Process and Reality (1929), Adventures of Ideas (1933), and Essays in Science and Philosophy(1947).

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Q: Contribution of Alfred North Whitehead to mathematics?
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How many pages are in Principia Mathematica?

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Related questions

What is Alfred North Whitehead's birthday?

Alfred North Whitehead was born on February 15, 1861.


When was Alfred North Whitehead born?

Alfred North Whitehead was born on February 15, 1861.


How old was Alfred North Whitehead at death?

Alfred North Whitehead died on December 30, 1947 at the age of 86.


How old is Alfred North Whitehead?

Alfred North Whitehead was born on February 15, 1861 and died on December 30, 1947. Alfred North Whitehead would have been 86 years old at the time of death or 154 years old today.


What is Principia Mathematica by Whitehead and Russell?

Principia Mathematica is a three-volume work by philosopher Alfred North Whitehead and mathematician/logician Bertrand Russell. Published between 1910 and 1913, it seeks to establish the foundations of mathematics through formal logic. It is considered a seminal work in the field of mathematical logic.


Who is the writer of the book principia Mathematica?

Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell


Who wrote the famous book principia mathematica?

It was written by Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell.


2 The famous book principia mathematrica was written by two mathematicians Who were they?

It was written by Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell


What has the author Paul Grimley Kuntz written?

Paul Grimley Kuntz has written: 'Alfred North Whitehead' 'Bertrand Russell'


How do you use a ebb in a sentence?

The ebb and flow of the water hypnotized me.


What has the author R Maurice Barineau written?

R. Maurice Barineau has written: 'The theodicy of Alfred North Whitehead' -- subject(s): History of doctrines, Theodicy


What has the author Edward J Lintz written?

Edward J. Lintz has written: 'The unity of the universe according to Alfred North Whitehead' -- subject(s): Cosmology