See also: Napier

John Napier , more known under its name francized Neper , born with Edinburgh in 1550 and died the April 4th 1617 with the castle of Merchiston, is a Théologien, Physicien, Astronome and Scottish Mathématicien .

Resulting from a rich person family, itself baron de Merchiston, it was made known by its defense of the Protestantisme. It warned in particular the king Jacques  VI of Scotland against the aimings of the catholic king Philippe  II of Spain.

Discovered mathematical

The Mathématiques were not its principal activity but it did not miss ideas to simplify calculations. It establishes some formulas of spherical Trigonométrie, popularized the use of the not for the Anglo-Saxon notation of the decimal numbers but especially invented the Logarithme S.

Its objective was to simplify trigonometrical calculations necessary in Astronomie. It attempted to define the logarithm of a sine while being based on mechanical considerations of points moving and on the bond between the arithmetic progressions and geometrical.

Its description of the new tool appeared in 1614 in Mirifici logarithmorum canonis descriptio was read by Henry Briggs which met it in 1615 and continued its work, taking for its part the option of the Decimal logarithm.

In 1617, Napier publishes its Rhabdologie , in which it presents a mechanical process to simplify the operations of Produit (mathematical) S, Division S, etc and which will bear the name of Bâtons of Napier.

Theology

Napier used also his talents of mathematician in Théologie. He used, amongst other things, the Apocalypse to predict the end of the world, which according to him would occur is in 1688 or 1700. Certain contemporaries also showed it to be Nécromancien; let us note however, that at that time, it was not rare that a talented scientist is thus shown without proof.

Today, the skin of John Napier rests with the church of St  Cuthbert with Edinburgh.

Honors

In electronic engineering, a measuring unit, the Neper, was thus named in its honor. To Edinburgh, the Université Napier bears also its name. Finally, a lunar crater, the Crater Neper, pays also homage to him.

See too

• Jost Bürgi, the Swiss astronomer who developed the first known system logarithmic curve.