Mathematician:Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac

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Mathematician

English theoretical physicist who made fundamental contributions to the early development of both quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics.

Stepather of Gabriel Andrew Dirac.


Nationality

British (of Swiss origin)


History

  • Born: 8 August 1902 in Bristol, England
  • Died: 20 October 1984 in Tallahassee, Florida, USA


Theorems and Definitions

Results named for Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac can be found here.

Definitions of concepts named for Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac can be found here.


Publications

  • 1930: The Principles of Quantum Mechanics
  • 1966: Lectures on Quantum Mechanics
  • 1966: Lectures on Quantum Field Theory
  • 1974: Spinors in Hilbert Space
  • 1975: General Theory of Relativity


Notable Quotes

We have boson variables appearing automatically in a theory that starts with only fermion variables, provided the number of fermion variables is infinite. There must be such boson variables connected with electrons...
-- from Spinors in Hilbert Space


Mathematics is the tool specially suited for dealing with abstract concepts of any kind and there is no limit to its power in this field. For this reason a book on the new physics, if not purely descriptive of experimental work, must be essentially mathematical.
-- Quoted in 1937: Eric Temple Bell: Men of Mathematics: They Say: What Say They? : Let Them Say


Sources