Mathematician:John Wilkins

Mathematician

English Anglican clergyman, natural philosopher and author.

One of the founders of the Royal Society.

Demonstrated the use of mathematics in the design of machines.

Nationality

English

History

• Born: 1614 in Fawsley (4 km S of Daventry), Northamptonshire, England
• Died: 19 November 1672 in Chester, England

Publications

• 1638: The Discovery of a World in the Moone
• 1640: A Discourse Concerning a New Planet
• 1641: Mercury, or the Secret and Swift Messenger (the first English-language book on cryptography)
• 1646: Ecclesiastes
• 1648: Mathematical Magick (in which the use of mathematics in the design of machines is demonstrated)
• 1649: A Discourse Concerning the Beauty of Providence
• 1651: A discourse concerning the gift of prayer: shewing what it is, wherein it consists and how far it is attainable by industry
• 1654: Vindiciae academiarum (with Seth Ward)
• 1668: An Essay towards a Real Character, and a Philosophical Language (in which a new universal language is proposed for the use of natural philosophers)
• 1675: Of the Principle and Duties of Natural Religion

Sources

• John J. O'Connor and Edmund F. Robertson: "John Wilkins": MacTutor History of Mathematics archive

• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Wilkins, John (1614-72)
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Wilkins, John (1614-72)