Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky: brief biography, achievements, discoveries

Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky - an outstanding Russian mathematician, for four decades - the rector of Kazan University, an activist of public education, the founder of non-Euclidean geometry.

This is a man who for several decades ahead of his time and remained incomprehensible contemporaries.

Biography of Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich

Nikolay was born on December 11, 1792 in a poor family of a small official Ivan Maksimovich and Praskovia Alexandrovna. The birthplace of the mathematician Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky - Nizhny Novgorod. At the age of 9, after the death of his father, he was transported by his mother to Kazan and in 1802 was admitted to a local gymnasium. After its termination in 1807, Nikolai became a student of the newly founded Kazan Imperial University.

Under the tutelage of MF Bartels

Gregory Ivanovich Kartashevsky managed to instill a special love for the physico-mathematical sciences for a future genius, a talented teacher who knew and appreciated his work deeply. Unfortunately, at the end of 1806, due to disagreements with the university's leadership "for manifesting the spirit of disobedience and disagreement" he was dismissed from university service. Mikhail M. Bartels, a teacher and a friend of the famous Karl Friedrich Gauss, began teaching courses in mathematics. Arrived in 1808 in Kazan, he took patronage over an able but poor student.

The new teacher approved the success of Lobachevsky, who, under his supervision, studied such classical works as "The Number Theory" by Karl Gauss and "Celestial Mechanics" by the French scientist Pierre-Simon Laplace. For the disobedience, perseverance and signs of godlessness on the senior course over Nicholas, the probability of deduction has hung. It is the patronage of Bartels that contributed to the removal of the danger looming over the gifted student.

Kazan University in the life of Lobachevsky

In 1811, at the end of the university, Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich, whose brief biography arouses sincere interest among the younger generation, was approved by the master in mathematics and physics and left at the school. Two scientific studies - in algebra and mechanics, presented in 1814 (earlier than the term), led to his erection to associate professors (associate professors). Further, Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich, whose achievements will subsequently be correctly estimated by descendants, himself began to engage in teaching, gradually increasing the range of courses taught by him (mathematics, astronomy, physics) and seriously reflecting on the restructuring of mathematical principles. Students loved and highly appreciated Lobachevsky's lectures, already a year later received the title of extraordinary professor.

New orders of Magnitsky

With the aim of suppressing freethinking and a revolutionary attitude in society, the government of Alexander I began to rely on the ideology of religion with its mystical and Christian teachings. The first major tests were universities. In March 1819, ML Magnitsky, a representative of the main board of the schools, who took care of his own career, came to the higher educational institution of Kazan with a revision. According to the results of his examination, the state of affairs at the university turned out to be extremely deplorable: insufficient education of the pupils of this institution entailed causing harm to society. Therefore, the university was required to destroy (publicly destroy) - with a view to an instructive example for the rest.

However, Alexander I decided to correct the situation with the hands of the same inspector, and Magnitsky with special zeal began to "put things in order" within the walls of the institution: he removed 9 professors from his work, introduced strict censorship of lectures and a severe barracks regime.

Wide activity of Lobachevsky

Biography Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich describes the difficult period of the church-police system established at the university, lasting for 7 years. To withstand the hard trials helped the strength of the recalcitrant spirit and the absolute employment of the scientist, who did not leave a single minute of free time.

Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky replaced Bartels, who left the university walls, and taught math at all courses, also headed a physical cabinet and read the subject, taught students of astronomy and geodesy, while IM Simonov was on a round-the-world trip. A huge work was invested by him in putting the library in order, and especially filling its physical and mathematical part. Along the way, the mathematician Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky, being the chairman of the construction committee, supervised the erection of the main building of the university and for some time held the post of dean of the physics and mathematics faculty.

Non-Euclidean geometry of Lobachevsky

A tremendous number of current affairs, extensive pedagogical, administrative and research work did not become an obstacle to the creative activity of a mathematician: from his pen came two textbooks for gymnasiums - "Algebra" (convicted of using the metric system of measures) and "Geometry" (not published at all ). On the part of Magnitsky, strict supervision was established for Nikolai Ivanovich, because of his insolence and violation of the established instructions. However, in these conditions, acting humiliatingly on human dignity, Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich worked hard on the rigorous construction of geometric bases. The result of such laborious work was the discovery of new geometry by scientists, accomplished on the path of a radical revision of the concepts of the Euclidean era (ІІІ century BC).

In the winter of 1826, the Russian mathematician carried out a report on geometric principles, passed on to the recall of several eminent professors. However, the expected review (neither positive nor even negative) was received, and the manuscript of the valuable report has not reached our times. The scientist included this material in his first work On the Principles of Geometry, published in 1829-1830. In the "Kazan Gazette". In addition to presenting important geometric discoveries, Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky described the refined definition of a function (clearly delineating its continuity and differentiability), undeservedly attributed to the German mathematician Dirichlet. Also, scientists made careful studies of trigonometric series, estimated several decades later. A talented mathematician is the author of the method of numerical solution of equations, which in due course has unfairly been called the "Greff method".

Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich: interesting facts

The Inspector Magnitsky, who had been fearing his actions for several years, awaited the unenviable fate: for the multitude of abuses revealed by the special audit commission, he was dismissed and exiled. Mikhail Nikolayevich Musin-Pushkin was appointed as the next trustee of the educational institution, who was able to appreciate the active work of Nikolai Lobachevsky and recommended him to the post of rector of Kazan University.

For 19 years, since 1827, Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich (photo of the monument in Kazan see above) worked diligently in this post, seeking the dawn of his beloved child. On account of Lobachevsky - a clear improvement in the level of scientific and educational activities in general, the construction of a huge number of office buildings (physical cabinet, library, chemical laboratory, astronomical and magnetic observatory, anatomical theater, mechanical workshops). Also, the rector is the founder of the strict scientific journal "Uchenye zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta", which replaced "Kazan Gazette" and first published in 1834. In parallel with the rector for eight years, Nikolai Ivanovich managed the library, was engaged in teaching activities, wrote instructions to mathematics teachers.

Lobachevsky's merits can not be attributed to his sincere heartfelt concern for the university and its students. So, in 1830 he managed to isolate the training territory and carry out thorough disinfection in order to save the collective of the educational institution from the cholera epidemic. During the most terrible fire in Kazan (1842), he managed to save virtually all educational buildings, astronomical instruments and library materials. Also, Nikolai Ivanovich opened a free visit to the university library and museums for the broad masses and organized classes of popular scientific topics for the population.

Thanks to the incredible efforts of Lobachevsky, the authoritative, first-class, well-equipped Kazan University has become one of the best educational institutions in Russia.

Misunderstanding and non-acceptance of the ideas of the Russian mathematician

All this time the mathematician did not stop in the ongoing research aimed at developing a new geometry. Unfortunately, his ideas - deep and fresh, were so contrary to the generally accepted axioms that contemporaries failed, and perhaps did not want to appreciate the works of Lobachevsky. Misunderstanding and, to some extent, mockery did not stop Nikolai Ivanovich: in 1835 he published "Imaginary Geometry", and a year later - "The application of imaginary geometry to certain integrals." Three years later, the light saw the most extensive work "The New Beginnings of Geometry with a Complete Theory of Parallel", which contained a laconic, extremely clear explanation of his key ideas.

A difficult period in the life of mathematics

Having received no understanding on his native land, Lobachevsky decided to acquire like-minded people beyond its borders. In 1840 Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich (photo see in the review) published his work with clearly stated basic ideas in German. One copy of this edition was handed to Gauss, who himself was secretly engaged in non-Euclidean geometry, but never ventured to speak publicly with his thoughts. After acquainting himself with the works of his Russian colleague, the German recommended that he elect a Russian colleague to the Göttingen Royal Society as a corresponding member. He laughed about Lobachevsky Gauss only in his own diaries and among the most trusted people. The election of Lobachevsky still took place; It happened in 1842, but the position of the Russian scientist did not improve: he had to work at the university for another 4 years.

The government of Nicholas I did not want to evaluate the many-year works of Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich and in 1846 removed him from his work at the university, officially calling the reason: a sharp deterioration in health. Formally, the former rector was offered the position of assistant trustee, but without the appointment of a salary. Shortly before the removal from the post and the deprivation of the professorial department, Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich, whose brief biography is still being studied in educational institutions, recommended instead A. Popov, a teacher at the Kazan Gymnasium, who defended his doctoral thesis perfectly. Nikolai Ivanovich considered it necessary to give the right road in life to a young capable scientist and found it inappropriate to occupy the chair in such circumstances. But, having lost everything at once and finding himself in a completely unnecessary position for himself, Lobachevsky lost the opportunity not only to lead the university, but also somehow participate in the activities of the educational institution.

In his family life, Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich since 1832 was married to Varvara Alekseevna Moiseeva. In this marriage, 18 children were born, but only seven survived.

last years of life

Forced removal from the cause of his whole life, the rejection of a new geometry, the gross ingratitude of his contemporaries, the sharp deterioration in his material condition (due to ruin, his wife's estate was sold for debts) and the family grief (the loss of his eldest son in 1852) had a devastating effect on physical and spiritual health Russian mathematician: he noticeably sank and began to lose his sight. But even the blinded Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky did not stop attending examinations, came to solemn events, participated in scholarly debates and continued to work for the benefit of science. The main work of the Russian mathematician "Pangeometry" was written by students under the dictation of the blinded Lobachevsky the year before his death.

Lobachevsky Nikolai Ivanovich, whose discoveries in geometry were estimated only a few decades later, was not the only researcher in the new field of mathematics. The Hungarian scientist Janos Bojai, regardless of his Russian colleague, brought his vision of non-Euclidean geometry to the court of colleagues in 1832. However, his works were not appreciated by contemporaries.

The life of an outstanding scientist, entirely devoted to Russian science and Kazan University, ended on February 24, 1856. They buried Lobachevsky, who was not recognized during his lifetime, in Kazan, in the Arskoye cemetery. Only after several decades did the situation in the scientific world change radically. A huge role in the recognition and acceptance of the works of Nikolai Lobachevsky was played by the studies of Henri Poincare, Eugenio Beltrami, Felix Klein. Understanding that a full-fledged alternative appeared in Euclidean geometry had a significant impact on the scientific world and gave impetus to other bold ideas in the exact sciences.

The place and date of birth of Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky are known to many contemporaries, who are related to the exact sciences. In honor of Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky was called the crater on the moon. The name of the great Russian scientist is the scientific library of the University in Kazan, to which he devoted a huge chunk of his life. Lobachevsky streets are also found in many Russian cities, including Moscow, Kazan, and Lipetsk.