In Our Time Pierre-Simon Laplace
Apr 8, 2021
Join Marcus du Sautoy, Timothy Gowers, and Colva Roney-Dougal as they delve into the genius of Pierre-Simon Laplace, who revolutionized mathematics and science during and after the French Revolution. They explore his groundbreaking contributions to probability, the stability of the solar system, and his provocative idea of determinism, suggesting that complete knowledge of the universe could predict all future events. The discussion also covers Laplace's role in developing the metric system and the philosophical implications of his work, including his stance on free will.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Laplace's Path to Mathematics
- Laplace, from a rural background, initially studied theology at the University of Caen.
- He later discovered his passion for mathematics and moved to Paris without completing his degree.
Laplace and d'Alembert
- Laplace sought mentorship from d'Alembert, the leading scientist in France, by sending him a letter on the mathematics of mechanics.
- Impressed, d'Alembert secured Laplace a teaching position at a military school in Paris.
Laplace's View on Probability
- Probability, initially associated with games of chance, became a scientific tool for Laplace to quantify uncertainty.
- He viewed probability as a measure of our ignorance in a deterministic universe.