George Boole (November 2, 1815 – December 8, 1864) was a British mathematician and philosopher. As the inventor of Boolean algebra, the basis of all modern computer arithmetic, Boole is regarded in hindsight as one of the founders of the field of computer science, although computers did not exist in his day.
Boole’s father was a tradesman of limited means. He taught his son mathematics and logic. His was an uneventful life, which was spent mostly in the teaching profession.
To the public Boole was known only as the author of numerous abstruse papers on mathematics.
Boole wrote two systematic mathematical treatises: The well-known "Treatise on Differential Equations" appeared in 1859, and "Treatise on the Calculus of Finite Differences" in 1860. These are his valuable contributions to mathematics.
The personal character of Boole inspired all his friends with the deepest esteem. He was marked by true modesty, and his life was given to the single-minded pursuit of truth. Though he received a medal from the Royal Society for his memoir of 1844, and the honorary degree of LL.D. from the University of Dublin, he neither sought nor received the ordinary rewards to which his discoveries would entitle him. On 8 December 1864, in the full vigour of his intellectual powers, he died of an attack of fever, ending in effusion on the lungs. (Excerpted from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Boole)
Boole’s father was a tradesman of limited means. He taught his son mathematics and logic. His was an uneventful life, which was spent mostly in the teaching profession.
To the public Boole was known only as the author of numerous abstruse papers on mathematics.
Boole wrote two systematic mathematical treatises: The well-known "Treatise on Differential Equations" appeared in 1859, and "Treatise on the Calculus of Finite Differences" in 1860. These are his valuable contributions to mathematics.
The personal character of Boole inspired all his friends with the deepest esteem. He was marked by true modesty, and his life was given to the single-minded pursuit of truth. Though he received a medal from the Royal Society for his memoir of 1844, and the honorary degree of LL.D. from the University of Dublin, he neither sought nor received the ordinary rewards to which his discoveries would entitle him. On 8 December 1864, in the full vigour of his intellectual powers, he died of an attack of fever, ending in effusion on the lungs. (Excerpted from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Boole)
As the algebra, Boole invented is the basis of PC, he deserves the gratitude of all of us who spend most of our working lives sitting before a PC. His contribution to computer science and his sterling qualities as described above have made me to chose him as a Role Model.
