Nicolaus Bernoulli (also spelled Nicolas or Nikolas; in

Basel Basel ( ; ), also known as Basle ( ), ; ; ; . is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High Rhine, High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's List of cities in Switzerland, third-most-populo ...

– 29 November 1759 in Basel) was a

Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, mathematical structure, structure, space, Mathematica ...

and was one of the many prominent mathematicians in the

Bernoulli family The Bernoulli family ( ; ; ) of Basel was a Patrician (post-Roman Europe), patrician family, notable for having produced eight mathematically gifted academics who, among them, contributed substantially to the development of mathematics and physic ...

Biography

Nicolaus Bernoulli was born on in Basel. He was the son of Nicolaus Bernoulli, painter and Alderman of Basel. In 1704 he graduated from the

University of Basel The University of Basel (Latin: ''Universitas Basiliensis''; German: ''Universität Basel'') is a public research university in Basel, Switzerland. Founded on 4 April 1460, it is Switzerland's oldest university and among the world's oldest univ ...

under

Jakob Bernoulli Jacob Bernoulli (also known as James in English or Jacques in French; – 16 August 1705) was a Swiss mathematician. He sided with Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz during the Leibniz–Newton calculus controversy and was an early proponent of Leibniz ...

and obtained his PhD five years later (in 1709) with a work on

probability theory Probability theory or probability calculus is the branch of mathematics concerned with probability. Although there are several different probability interpretations, probability theory treats the concept in a rigorous mathematical manner by expre ...

in law. His thesis was titled ''Dissertatio Inauguralis Mathematico-Juridica de Usu Artis Conjectandi in Jure''. In 1716 he obtained the

Galileo Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), commonly referred to as Galileo Galilei ( , , ) or mononymously as Galileo, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a poly ...

-chair at the

University of Padua The University of Padua (, UNIPD) is an Italian public research university in Padua, Italy. It was founded in 1222 by a group of students and teachers from the University of Bologna, who previously settled in Vicenza; thus, it is the second-oldest ...

, where he worked on differential equations and

geometry Geometry (; ) is a branch of mathematics concerned with properties of space such as the distance, shape, size, and relative position of figures. Geometry is, along with arithmetic, one of the oldest branches of mathematics. A mathematician w ...

. In 1722 he returned to Switzerland and obtained a chair in

Logics Logic is the study of correct Logical reasoning, reasoning. It includes both Logic#Formal logic, formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the study of Validity (logic), deductively valid inferences or logical truths. It examines how conclu ...

at the

. Nicolaus I Bernoulli was deeply influenced by his family, particularly his uncle

Jacob Bernoulli Jacob Bernoulli (also known as James in English or Jacques in French; – 16 August 1705) was a Swiss mathematician. He sided with Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz during the Leibniz–Newton calculus controversy and was an early proponent of Leibniz ...

and his cousin

Daniel Bernoulli Daniel Bernoulli ( ; ; – 27 March 1782) was a Swiss people, Swiss-France, French mathematician and physicist and was one of the many prominent mathematicians in the Bernoulli family from Basel. He is particularly remembered for his applicati ...

, both of whom were prominent mathematicians. Jacob Bernoulli, one of the early developers of calculus and a pioneer in the field of probability, had a significant impact on Nicolaus’s academic direction. Jacob’s work on the

Bernoulli numbers In mathematics, the Bernoulli numbers are a sequence of rational numbers which occur frequently in analysis. The Bernoulli numbers appear in (and can be defined by) the Taylor series expansions of the tangent and hyperbolic tangent functions, ...

and the Bernoulli theorem provided a strong foundation for Nicolaus’s own research in probability theory. He was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

of London in 1714. Nicolaus I Bernoulli had a rich array of personal interests that extended beyond his mathematical pursuits. Influenced by his father, who was a painter, Nicolaus developed a keen appreciation for the arts. This artistic inclination was reflected in his meticulous and creative approach to problem-solving in mathematics. He enjoyed engaging in intellectual discussions and debates, often with his family members, which helped him refine his

analytical skills Analytical skill is the ability to deconstruct information into smaller categories in order to draw conclusions. Analytical skill consists of categories that include logical reasoning, critical thinking, communication, research, data analysis and ...

. Additionally, Nicolaus had a passion for teaching and mentoring, finding great satisfaction in guiding his students and witnessing their academic growth. His diverse interests and talents made him a well-rounded individual, contributing to his legacy as a distinguished mathematician and educator. His most important contributions can be found in his letters, in particular to Pierre Rémond de Montmort. In these letters, he introduced in particular the St. Petersburg Paradox. He also communicated with

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (or Leibnitz; – 14 November 1716) was a German polymath active as a mathematician, philosopher, scientist and diplomat who is credited, alongside Sir Isaac Newton, with the creation of calculus in addition to ...

and

Leonhard Euler Leonhard Euler ( ; ; ; 15 April 170718 September 1783) was a Swiss polymath who was active as a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, logician, geographer, and engineer. He founded the studies of graph theory and topology and made influential ...

. Nicolaus I Bernoulli died on November 29, 1759, in Basel,

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. The exact cause of his death is not well-documented, but it is generally believed that he suffered from a prolonged illness, possibly tuberculosis.

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Biography

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