(January 23, 1862 – February 14, 1943)

Famous for Hilbert space as well as for Hilbert’s problems, David Hilbert is in league with Srinivasa Ramanujan and Henri Poincaré with regards to the greatest mathematicians who lived into the 20th century. (My research inferred that Alexander Grothendieck outranked all those born in 20th century). Hilbert made earth-shattering discoveries in areas such as: Functional Analysis, Invariant Theory, Proof Theory, Logic, and Theoretical Physics. On the sphere of influence, few surpassed him. As dedicated professor, he mentored many renowned students that include: Hermann Weyl, John von Neumann (who coined-up the term “Hilbert space”), and Emanuel Lasker (who reigned as World Chess Champion from 1894 to 1921). He also motivated Emmy Noether; and supported Georg Cantor when maths-heavyweights like: Henri Poincaré, Hermann Weyl, Leopold Kronecker, and Luitzen Brouwer condemned his Set Theory. Unable to dissuade the Nazi-regime from expelling and persecuting Jewish academicians during the 1930s, Hilbert helped in the best way he could: by giving them glowing references and recommendations which enabled them secure favorable employments abroad. Together with Albert Einstein he developed the Einstein-Hilbert action, which is a vital precursor for Einstein Field Equations in General Relativity. Some of his algebraic-models have become prerequisites in physics and computer science. Also, his geometric axioms succeeded the Euclidean inventions which have been used for over two millennia. Admired throughout his life, David Hilbert remains among the most influential mathematicians. The 173-kilometer-wide Hilbert lunar crater, (abutting Pasteur), is dedicated to him. He is as well the eponym of copious concepts and conjectures.

 

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