David Gregory

David Gregory

Born: 3 June 1659 in Aberdeen, Scotland
Died: 10 Oct 1708 in Maidenhead, England

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David Gregory was a nephew of James Gregory. At the age of 22 he was appointed Professor of mathematics at Edinburgh.

At Edinburgh David Gregory taught Newtonian theories. He is famed for this since he was the first university teacher to teach the 'modern' theories at a time when even Cambridge was still teaching Greek natural philosophy.

In 1691 David was elected Savilian Professor at Oxford. Newton was a major influence in his appointment.

David Gregory certainly supported Newton strongly in the Newton - Leibniz controversy arguing, as did Wallis, that Leibniz had learnt of the calculus through a letter of Collins.

David Gregory and did important work on series. He also worked on optics, geometry and Newton's work.

References elsewhere in this archive:

Tell me about David Gregory's notation for pi

Other Web sites:

Rice University, USA

References:

  1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  2. David Gregory, Biographia Britannica IV (London, 1757), 2365-2372.
  3. W G Hiscock (ed.), David Gregory, Isaac Newton and their circle (Oxford, 1937). 
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JOC/EFR February 1996