1862-1943. German mathematician, who founded
the formalist school with the publication of
Grundlagen der Geometrie/Foundations of
Geometry in 1899, which was based on his idea
of postulates. He attempted to put
mathematics on a logical foundation through
defining it in terms of a number of basic
principles, which Godel later showed to be
impossible; none the less, his attempt
greatly influenced 20th-century
mathematicians.