Ernst Friedrich Ferdinand Zermelo

---

Born: 27 July 1871 in Berlin, Germany
Died: 21 May 1951 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Previous (Chronologically) Next     Biographies Index

Previous ( Alphabetically) Next          Welcome page

Zermelo is best known for his work on the axiom of choice and axiomatic set theory. After studying the set paradoxes, he made the first attempt to axiomatise set theory in 1908. He gave seven axioms : Axiom of extensionality, Axiom of elementary sets, Axiom of separation, Power set axiom, Union axiom, Axiom of choice and Axiom of infinity.

Zermelo usually stated his axioms and theorems in words rather than symbols. Zermelo, in fact, did not often use the formal language for quantifiers such as $ or " and binding variables that were then being used, instead, he used ordinary expressions such as "there exists" or "for all".

Zermelo also contributed to the calculus of variations and to statistical mechanics.

References elsewhere in this archive:

Tell me about Zermelo's work on set theory

Other Web sites:

Drexel University, USA

References:

1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
2. J van Heijenoort, From Frege to Gödel (Cambridge, Mass., 1966).
3. G Heinzmann (ed.), Poincare, Russell, Zermelo et Peano : textes de la discussion (1906-1912) sur les fondements des mathematiques : des antinomies a la predicativite (Paris, 1986).
4. G H Moore, Zermelo's axiom of choice : its origins, development, and influence (New York, 1982).

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