Previous (Chronologically) Next Biographies Index Previous ( Alphabetically) Next Welcome page
He chose, against his parents wishes, an ecclesiastical life and entered the Congregation of the Oratory. In 1704 he went to Paris to take up a more active scientific career. He studied mathematics and physics with Malebranche until 1715. In 1723 he was appointed to a chair at the Collège Royal to succeed Varignon.
Privat de Molières became a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1729.
He argued against Newton and for Descartes' view of physics although he knew Newton's to be the more precise. He attempted to bring Newton's calculations into the vortex theory of matter of Malebranche. Although his arguments were very effective, eventually Newtonian physics came to the fore in France.
Other Web sites:
References:
Previous (Chronologically) Next Biographies Index Previous ( Alphabetically) Next Welcome page History Topics Index Famous curves index Chronologies Birthplace Map Mathematicians of the day Anniversaries for the year Search Form Simple Search Form Search Suggestions