Bernoulli, Jakob [Jacques]

1. Dates

Born: Basel, Switzerland 27 Dec 1654 (DSB & ADB) 6 Jan 1655 (NDB) (this has to be an issue of the calendar; take 1655)

Died: Basel, Switzerland 16 Aug 1705

Dateinfo: Dates Certain

Lifespan: 50

2. Father

Occupation: Drug Merchant

Clearly prosperous.

3. Nationality

Birth: Swiss

Career: Swiss

Death: Swiss

4. Education

Schooling: Bas?, M.A., D.D.

University: MA philosophy 1671.

Licentiate in theology 1676.

Also studied math and astronomy.

5. Religion

Affiliation: evangelical--i.e, Lutheran 6. Discipline: mathematics.

Subordinate: mechanics, astronomy.

6. Scientific Disciplines

Primary: None

7. Means of Support

Primary: Academic Position

Secondary: Personal Means, Schoolmaster

1676, went as a tutor to Geneva.

Then 2 years in France.

1681-2, went to Netherlands & England, studied more science.

1683, returned to Basel, gave lectures as MA on mechanics (Experimentalphysik).

1687, became prof of mathematics at U. of Basel.

8. Patronage

Type: City Magistrates

His father was a Ratsherr of Basel.

9. Technological Involvement

Types: None

10. Scientific Societies

Memberships: Académie Royal des Sciences, Berlin Academy

Informal: influenced his younger brother Johann I; early in his career they colaborated, later (by 1699) they did not get along.

Corresponded with major mathematicians of the time.

Formal: published in Journal des Scavans and Acta Eruditorum.

1699, became corresponding (foreign) member of Paris Académie des Sciences.

1701, became member of die Societaet der Wissenschaften in Berlin.

Sources

1. J. O. Fleckstein, Johann und Jakob Bernoulli, (Basel, 1949), which is supplement 6 to the journal Elemente der Mathematik -- Swain QA 29 . B52 F5 -- little biographical O. Spiess, in Neue Deutsche Biographie, 2, 128-9, 130-1

Not Available and Not Consulted

1. Obituary in Acta eruditorum, 1706 Allegemeine Deutche Biographie, 2.
2. J. J. Battier, Vita J. B., (Basel 1705).
3. G. Kowalewski, Grosse Mathematiker, (1938).

Compiled by:

Richard S. Westfall

Department of History and Philosophy of Science

Indiana University

Note: the creators of the Galileo Project and this catalogue cannot answer email on geneological questions.