Cardano, Girolamo

Cardano, Girolamo
(1501-1576)
   Italian physician, mathematician, and natural philosopher. Born in Pavia and educated there and at Padua, he supported himself during his student years as a gambler. One of his later writings, Liber de ludo aleae / Book on Games of Dice, presented a sophisticated discussion of the mathematics of probability, though it had little influence since it was not published until the following century. After graduation, he practiced medicine near Padua and in 1534 moved to Milan, first as a teacher of mathematics and later as a medical practitioner. From 1543 to 1560 he was professor of medicine at the University of Pavia. Cardano's interests extended to many branches of natural philosophy, including mechanics, geology, and hydrodynamics. He realized that the trajectory of a projectile is a parabola; he noted that the presence of marine fossils on dry land proves that mountainous regions had once been ocean floor; he suggested that the earth's water is constantly recirculated from rain to rivers to oceans to clouds and back to rain.
   Cardano was especially gifted as a mathematician. His first mathematical publication, Practica arithmeticae / Arithmetical Practice (1539), showed great skill in manipulating equations. He was one of a number of contemporaries who studied quadratic equations, and his book Ars magna / The Great Art (1545) summarized his own work and that of several others on that topic, though it also involved him in a bitter controversy with Niccolo Tartaglia even though he gave Tartaglia full credit for his pioneering contributions. In 1560 Cardano moved from Pavia to Bologna. There he was imprisoned in 1570 by the Roman Inquisition on suspicion of heresy, but he was released and spent his final years at Rome, supported by a papal pension.

Historical Dictionary of Renaissance. . 2004.

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  • CARDANO, Girolamo — (1501 1576) One of the most prolific writers of sixteenth century Italy, Girolamo Cardano is best known for his contributions to medical literature and mathematical schol­arship. He was born in Pavia on 24 September 1501, the illegitimate son of… …   Renaissance and Reformation 1500-1620: A Biographical Dictionary

  • Cardano, Girolamo — ▪ Italian physician and mathematician Girolamo also spelled  Gerolamo , English  Jerome Cardan  born September 24, 1501, Pavia, duchy of Milan [Italy] died September 21, 1576, Rome  Italian physician, mathematician, and astrologer who gave the… …   Universalium

  • Girolamo Cardano — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Cardan. Girolamo Cardano Girolamo Cardano Naissance 24 septembre&# …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Girolamo — is an Italian variant of the name Hieronymus. Its English equivalent is Jerome.It may refer to:* Girolamo Cardano (1501 1576), Italian Renaissance mathematician, physician, astrologer and gambler * Girolamo da Cremona (fl. 1451 1483), Italian… …   Wikipedia

  • Cardano — Cardano,   Gerolamo (oder Girolamo, auch Geronimo), latinisiert Hierọnymus Cardanus, italienischer Mathematiker, Arzt und Philosoph, * Pavia 24. 9. 1501, ✝ Rom 20. 9. 1576; wirkte und lehrte in Mailand und Pavia, 1562 70 in Bologna; lebte danach …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Girolamo Cardan —     Girolamo Cardan     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► Girolamo Cardan     (CARDANO, CARDANUS)     Italian physician and mathematician, b. at Pavia, 24 September, 1501; d. at Rome, 21 September 1576. He was educated at the Universities of Pavia and… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Girolamo Cardano — Stich von Cardano Gerolamo Cardano (auch Geronimo oder Girolamo; lateinisch Hieronymus Cardanus; * 24. September 1501 in Pavia; † 21. September 1576 in Rom) war ein Arzt, Philosoph und Mathematiker und zählt zu den Renaissance Humanisten …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Cardano — Stich von Cardano Gerolamo Cardano (auch Geronimo oder Girolamo; lateinisch Hieronymus Cardanus; * 24. September 1501 in Pavia; † 21. September 1576 in Rom) war ein Arzt, Philosoph und Mathematiker und zählt zu den Renaissance Humanisten …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Girolamo Scotto — Este artículo o sección necesita ser wikificado con un formato acorde a las convenciones de estilo. Por favor, edítalo para que las cumpla. Mientras tanto, no elimines este aviso puesto el 8 de julio de 2011. También puedes ayudar wikificando… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Gerolamo Cardano — Infobox Scientist name = Gerolamo Cardano box width = image size =250px caption = Gerolamo Cardano birth date = September 24, 1501 birth place = Pavia death date = September 21 1576 death place = residence = citizenship = nationality = Italian… …   Wikipedia

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