Bibliography of E. T. Whittaker
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Sir Edmund Taylor Whittaker was a British mathematician, physicist, historian of science, and philosopher who authored three titles that remain in circulation over a century after their initial publications. His bibliography includes several books and over one hundred published papers on a variety of subjects, including mathematics,
astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...
,
mathematical physics Mathematical physics refers to the development of mathematics, mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The ''Journal of Mathematical Physics'' defines the field as "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and t ...
,
theoretical physics Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental physics, which uses experim ...
, philosophy, and
theism Theism is broadly defined as the belief in the existence of a supreme being or deities. In common parlance, or when contrasted with ''deism'', the term often describes the classical conception of God that is found in monotheism (also referred to ...
. Whittaker's bibliography in the '' Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society'' categorises his publications into three categories: books and monographs, maths and physics articles, and biographical articles; the bibliography excludes works published in popular magazines like ''
Scientific American ''Scientific American'', informally abbreviated ''SciAm'' or sometimes ''SA'', is an American popular science magazine. Many famous scientists, including Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, have contributed articles to it. In print since 1845, it i ...
''. The bibliography includes eleven total books and monographs, fifty-six maths and physics articles, thirty-five philosophy and history articles, and twenty-one biographical articles. In the bibliography compiled by William Hunter McCrea in 1957, there are thirteen books and monographs and the same journal articles; McCrea counts all three volumes of ''A History of the Theories of Aether and Electricity'' as separate books and excludes the same papers. Whittaker's contributions to ''Scientific American'' include two book reviews and a popular article on mathematics.
John Lighton Synge John Lighton Synge (; 23 March 1897 – 30 March 1995) was an Irish mathematician and physicist, whose seven-decade career included significant periods in Ireland, Canada, and the USA. He was a prolific author and influential mentor, and is cre ...
reviewed ten of Whittaker's papers when he wrote about Whittaker's contributions to
electromagnetism In physics, electromagnetism is an interaction that occurs between particles with electric charge. It is the second-strongest of the four fundamental interactions, after the strong force, and it is the dominant force in the interactions of a ...
and
general relativity General relativity, also known as the general theory of relativity and Einstein's theory of gravity, is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1915 and is the current description of gravitation in modern physics ...
. Among other tributes as part of the same memorial volume of the ''
Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society In academia and librarianship, conference proceedings is a collection of academic papers published in the context of an academic conference or workshop. Conference proceedings typically contain the contributions made by researchers at the conferen ...
'',
George Frederick James Temple Dom George Frederick James Temple FRS OSB (born 2 September 1901, London; died 30 January 1992, Isle of Wight) was an English mathematician, recipient of the Sylvester Medal in 1969. He was President of the London Mathematical Society in the ye ...
wrote about Whittaker's work on harmonic functions, and
Alexander Aitken Alexander Craig "Alec" Aitken (1 April 1895 – 3 November 1967) was one of New Zealand's most eminent mathematicians. In a 1935 paper he introduced the concept of generalized least squares, along with now standard vector/matrix notation fo ...
wrote about Whittaker's work on algebra and
numerical analysis Numerical analysis is the study of algorithms that use numerical approximation (as opposed to symbolic computation, symbolic manipulations) for the problems of mathematical analysis (as distinguished from discrete mathematics). It is the study of ...
. Whittaker also published several biographical articles, including one for
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
written just a few months before his death.


Books

Whittaker wrote three scientific
treatise A treatise is a formal and systematic written discourse on some subject, generally longer and treating it in greater depth than an essay, and more concerned with investigating or exposing the principles of the subject and its conclusions."Treat ...
s that were highly influential in their fields, ''
A Course of Modern Analysis ''A Course of Modern Analysis: an introduction to the general theory of infinite processes and of analytic functions; with an account of the principal transcendental functions'' (colloquially known as Whittaker and Watson) is a landmark textb ...
'', ''
Analytical Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies ''A Treatise on the Analytical Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies'' is a treatise and textbook on analytical dynamics by British mathematician Sir Edmund Taylor Whittaker. Initially published in 1904 by the Cambridge University Press, the ...
'', and ''The Calculus of Observations''. In 1956,
Gerald James Whitrow Gerald James Whitrow (9 June 1912 – 2 June 2000) was a British mathematician, cosmologist and science historian. Biography Whitrow was born on 9 June 1912 at Kimmeridge in Dorset, the elder son of William and Emily (née Watkins) Whitrow. Af ...
stated that two of these books, ''Modern Analysis'' and ''Analytical Dynamics'', were not only required reading for British mathematicians but were regarded as fundamental components of their personal libraries. Despite the success of these textbooks, the second edition of '' A History of the Theories of Aether and Electricity'' has been called Whittaker's magnum opus. Due to the title's popularity, William Hunter McCrea predicted that future readers would have a hard time acknowledging it was the result of just "a few years at both ends of a career of the highest distinction in other pursuits." Whittaker also wrote ''The theory of optical instruments'' during his time as
Royal Astronomer of Ireland The Dunsink Observatory is an astronomical observatory established in 1785 in the townland of Dunsink in the outskirts of the city of Dublin, Ireland.Alexander Thom''Irish Almanac and Official Directory''7th ed., 1850 p. 258. Retrieved: 2011-02- ...
and wrote several other books on various subjects throughout his career.


''Whittaker & Watson''

Whittaker was the original author of the textbook ''
A Course of Modern Analysis ''A Course of Modern Analysis: an introduction to the general theory of infinite processes and of analytic functions; with an account of the principal transcendental functions'' (colloquially known as Whittaker and Watson) is a landmark textb ...
'', first published in 1902. The book was reviewed by
George Ballard Mathews 250px George Ballard Mathews, FRS (23 February 1861 – 19 March 1922) was an English mathematician. He was born in London. He studied at the Ludlow Grammar School which had instruction in Hebrew and Sanscrit as well as in Greek and Latin. He ...
,
Arthur Stafford Hathaway Arthur Stafford Hathaway (1855 — 1934) was an American mathematician. Arthur was born September 15, 1855, in Keeler, Michigan. A student at Cornell University, Hathaway earned a bachelor's degree in 1879. For two years he was instructor in m ...
, and
Maxime Bôcher Maxime Bôcher (August 28, 1867 – September 12, 1918) was an American mathematician who published about 100 papers on differential equations, series, and algebra. He also wrote elementary texts such as ''Trigonometry'' and ''Analytic Geometry''. ...
, among others. The book's later editions were written in collaboration with Whittaker's former student
George Neville Watson George Neville Watson (31 January 1886 – 2 February 1965) was an English mathematician, who applied complex analysis to the theory of special functions. His collaboration on the 1915 second edition of E. T. Whittaker's ''A Course of Modern ...
, resulting in the textbook taking the famous colloquial name ''Whittaker & Watson'', published in 1915, 1920, and 1927. Reviewers of the book's later editions include Philip Jourdain,
Eric Harold Neville Eric Harold Neville, known as E. H. Neville (1 January 1889 London, England – 22 August 1961 Reading, Berkshire, England) was an English mathematician. A heavily fictionalised portrayal of his life is rendered in the 2007 novel ''The Indian ...
, and
Dorothy Maud Wrinch Dorothy Maud Wrinch (12 September 1894 – 11 February 1976; married names Nicholson, Glaser) was a mathematician and biochemical theorist best known for her attempt to deduce protein structure using mathematical principles. She was a champion o ...
. The book is subtitled ''an introduction to the general theory of infinite processes and of analytic functions; with an account of the principal transcendental functions'' and is a classic textbook in
mathematical analysis Analysis is the branch of mathematics dealing with continuous functions, limit (mathematics), limits, and related theories, such as Derivative, differentiation, Integral, integration, measure (mathematics), measure, infinite sequences, series (m ...
.


''Analytical Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies''

Whittaker's second major work, ''A Treatise on the Analytical Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies'', was first published in 1904 and quickly became a classic textbook in its subject. The book went through four editions, published in 1917, 1927, and 1937. It has remained in circulation for over a hundred years. The book represented the forefront of development at the time of publication; many reviewers noted it contained material otherwise non-existent in the English language. The book has received acclaim from sources other than book reviews as well, including physicist
Victor Lenzen Victor Fritz Lenzen (14 December 1890, San Jose – 18 July 1975, Oakland) was an American physicist most noted for his logical rigour and commitment to teaching. His father was a building contractor. He went to Lick-Wilmerding High School, San Fr ...
, who said in 1952 that the book was "still the best exposition of the subject on the highest possible level". One hundred and ten years after its initial publication, a 2014 "biography" of the book's development noted that the book remained influential as more than a "historical document".


''A History of the Theories of Aether and Electricity, From the Age of Descartes to the Close of the Nineteenth Century''

Whittaker's third major work, '' A History of the Theories of Aether and Electricity, From the Age of Descartes to the Close of the Nineteenth Century'', was published in 1910. The book gives a detailed account of the history of
electromagnetism In physics, electromagnetism is an interaction that occurs between particles with electric charge. It is the second-strongest of the four fundamental interactions, after the strong force, and it is the dominant force in the interactions of a ...
and aether theories from
René Descartes René Descartes ( or ; ; Latinized: Renatus Cartesius; 31 March 1596 – 11 February 1650) was a French philosopher, scientist, and mathematician, widely considered a seminal figure in the emergence of modern philosophy and science. Mathem ...
to
Hendrik Lorentz Hendrik Antoon Lorentz (; 18 July 1853 – 4 February 1928) was a Dutch physicist who shared the 1902 Nobel Prize in Physics with Pieter Zeeman for the discovery and theoretical explanation of the Zeeman effect. He also derived the Lorentz t ...
and
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
, including the contributions of
Hermann Minkowski Hermann Minkowski (; ; 22 June 1864 – 12 January 1909) was a German mathematician and professor at Königsberg, Zürich and Göttingen. He created and developed the geometry of numbers and used geometrical methods to solve problems in number t ...
and a chapter each devoted to
Michael Faraday Michael Faraday (; 22 September 1791 – 25 August 1867) was an English scientist who contributed to the study of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. His main discoveries include the principles underlying electromagnetic inducti ...
and
James Clerk Maxwell James Clerk Maxwell (13 June 1831 – 5 November 1879) was a Scottish mathematician and scientist responsible for the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation, which was the first theory to describe electricity, magnetism and ligh ...
. The book was well received and is an authoritative reference work in the history of physics; the title established Whittaker as a respected historian of science. Pending the release of a second edition, the book remained out of print for many years, though it is now free to be reprinted in the United States, as it qualifies as public domain.
Dover Publications Dover Publications, also known as Dover Books, is an American book publisher founded in 1941 by Hayward and Blanche Cirker. It primarily reissues books that are out of print from their original publishers. These are often, but not always, books ...
released a reprint of the book in 1989. Along with several others, Edwin Bidwell Wilson reviewed the treatise in 1913.


''The Calculus of Observations'' or ''A Short Course in Interpolation''

Whittaker's fourth major work, ''The Calculus of Observations a Treatise on Numerical Analysis'', coauthored with George Robinson, was a pioneering textbook in
numerical analysis Numerical analysis is the study of algorithms that use numerical approximation (as opposed to symbolic computation, symbolic manipulations) for the problems of mathematical analysis (as distinguished from discrete mathematics). It is the study of ...
that was originally published in 1923 and provides an introduction to methods of practical computation. The first four chapters, on
interpolation In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a type of estimation, a method of constructing (finding) new data points based on the range of a discrete set of known data points. In engineering and science, one often has a n ...
, were published separately under ''A Short Course in Interpolation'', in 1924. The book went through four total editions, with the fourth in 1944. The book received positive reviews upon its initial release. It was reviewed by
William Fleetwood Sheppard William Fleetwood Sheppard FRSE LLM (20 November 1863 – 12 October 1936) Australian-British civil servant, mathematician and statistician remembered for his work in finite differences, interpolation and statistical theory, known in partic ...
,
Lewis Fry Richardson Lewis Fry Richardson, FRS (11 October 1881 – 30 September 1953) was an English mathematician, physicist, meteorologist, psychologist, and pacifist who pioneered modern mathematical techniques of weather forecasting, and the application of si ...
, and
Jack Howlett Jack Howlett CBE (30 August 1912 – 5 May 1999) was a British mathematician and computer scientist who was head of the Atlas Computer Laboratory for the duration of its existence. Personal life and early career He was educated at Stand G ...
, among others. Several of the book's reviewers found that it was advanced and intended mostly for mathematicians. Some reviewers also noted that the book was the first to be devoted fully to the subject in the English language. Forty-three years after its initial publication,
Jack Howlett Jack Howlett CBE (30 August 1912 – 5 May 1999) was a British mathematician and computer scientist who was head of the Atlas Computer Laboratory for the duration of its existence. Personal life and early career He was educated at Stand G ...
reviewed a reprint of the fourth edition by
Dover Publications Dover Publications, also known as Dover Books, is an American book publisher founded in 1941 by Hayward and Blanche Cirker. It primarily reissues books that are out of print from their original publishers. These are often, but not always, books ...
in 1969 in a comparison of the book with two newer works. He wrote that "one can hardly call it a modern book" and noted that the book had changed relatively little since its original print in 1924 and from the lectures that Whittaker delivered at the Edinburgh Mathematical Laboratory between 1913 and 1923. He went on to remark that there are only a few useful chapters in the book concerning the calculus of finite differences and its applications, including interpolation and difference formulae, but that the rest of the book seemed "completely outmoded".


Philosophy of Arthur Eddington

Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington, one of Whittaker's former students, held philosophical views similar to Whittaker's. At the end of his career, Whittaker was influenced by the philosophical ideas Eddington had advocated for and, in addition to editing the latter's ''Fundamental Theory'', he published several articles and books exploring the topic. Whittaker's presentation at the 1947
Tarner Lecture The Tarner lectures are a series of public lectures in the philosophy of science given at Trinity College, Cambridge since 1916. Named after Mr Edward Tarner, the lecture addresses 'the Philosophy of the Sciences and the Relations or Want of Rela ...
was published as ''From Euclid to Eddington'' by the
Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press A university press is an academic publishing hou ...
and his other book on the topic, ''Eddington's principle in the philosophy of science'', was published two years later.


''Fundamental Theory''

Whittaker edited
Arthur Eddington Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington (28 December 1882 – 22 November 1944) was an English astronomer, physicist, and mathematician. He was also a philosopher of science and a populariser of science. The Eddington limit, the natural limit to the lumin ...
's '' Fundamental Theory'', which was published posthumously in 1946 by the Cambridge University Press. Eddington died in November 1944 and Whittaker was given the task of editing and publishing the book, which was nearly complete. The book received several reviews and responses, including a review by William Hunter McCrea and
Clive W. Kilmister Clive William Kilmister (3 January 1924 – 2 May 2010) was a British mathematician who specialised in the mathematical foundations of physics, especially quantum mechanics and relativity. Kilmister attended Queen Mary College London for both hi ...
. Kilmister later wrote a book on the topic, titled ''Eddington's search for a fundamental theory'', which was published by
Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press A university press is an academic publishing hou ...
in 1994, and was itself reviewed by
David Kaiser David I. Kaiser is an American physicist and historian of science. He is Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), head of its Science, Technology, and Society program, and a full profess ...
, among others.


''From Euclid to Eddington : A study of the conceptions of the external world''

Whittaker's philosophy book ''From Euclid to Eddington : A study of the conceptions of the external world'' was published in 1949 by the
Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press A university press is an academic publishing hou ...
. The book is a published lecture originating from the 1947
Tarner Lecture The Tarner lectures are a series of public lectures in the philosophy of science given at Trinity College, Cambridge since 1916. Named after Mr Edward Tarner, the lecture addresses 'the Philosophy of the Sciences and the Relations or Want of Rela ...
at
Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...
. The volume recounts the history of the theories of
natural philosophy Natural philosophy or philosophy of nature (from Latin ''philosophia naturalis'') is the philosophical study of physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior throu ...
beginning with
Euclid Euclid (; grc-gre, Wikt:Εὐκλείδης, Εὐκλείδης; BC) was an ancient Greek mathematician active as a geometer and logician. Considered the "father of geometry", he is chiefly known for the ''Euclid's Elements, Elements'' trea ...
and stretching to Eddington, including the philosophical ideas of
Plato Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...
,
Aristotle Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of phil ...
, and
Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
. The original edition of the book received reviews from
Peter Bergmann Peter Gabriel Bergmann (24 March 1915 – 19 October 2002) was a German-American physicist best known for his work with Albert Einstein on a unified field theory encompassing all physical interactions. He also introduced primary and secondar ...
, Edward Arthur Milne, and Israel Monroe Levitt. A 1960 reprint of the book by
Dover Publications Dover Publications, also known as Dover Books, is an American book publisher founded in 1941 by Hayward and Blanche Cirker. It primarily reissues books that are out of print from their original publishers. These are often, but not always, books ...
has also received reviews.


''Eddington's principle in the philosophy of science''

Whittaker spoke at the annual ''Arthur Stanley Eddington Memorial Lecture'' in 1952, which was subsequently published by ''
American Scientist __NOTOC__ ''American Scientist'' (informally abbreviated ''AmSci'') is an American bimonthly science and technology magazine published since 1913 by Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society. In the beginning of 2000s the headquarters was in New ...
'' and
Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press A university press is an academic publishing hou ...
. In the book's preface, Whittaker articulates Eddington's principle as "all the quantitative propositions of physics… may be deduced by logical reasoning from qualitative assertions". One reviewer noted some caveats to the interpretation and stated that Eddington would not necessarily have been satisfied with this wording. The work expounded on the principle, traced its development to Gottfried Leibniz, discussed its mathematical basis, and addresses potential objections. Whittaker also describes Eddington's views on
universal constant A physical constant, sometimes fundamental physical constant or universal constant, is a physical quantity that is generally believed to be both universal in nature and have constant value in time. It is contrasted with a mathematical constant ...
s. and discusses their connection to the philosophy of religion. William Hunter McCrea and
Thomas Cowling Thomas George Cowling Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (17 June 1906 – 16 June 1990) was an England, English astronomer. Early life and education Cowling was born in Hackney, London, the second of four sons of George Cowling and Edith El ...
reviewed the work in 1952.


''A History of the Theories of Aether and Electricity'' extended and revised edition

Whittaker published an extended and revised edition of his ''Theories of Aether'' in two volumes, with volume one in 1951 and the second in 1953. Notwithstanding a notorious controversy on Whitaker's views on the history of special relativity, covered in volume two of the second edition, the books are considered authoritative references on the history of classical electromagnetism as well as classic books in the history of physics. The first volume, subtitled ''the classical theories'', serves as a revised and updated edition of the original 1910 book.p. 294
/ref> Among others,
Arthur Mannering Tyndall Arthur Mannering Tyndall, CBE, FRS, LLD (18 September 1881 – 29 October 1961) was an English physicist from Bristol, England.His teaching activities included lecturing in atomic physics at the University of Bristol. Among his notable students ...
,
Carl Eckart Carl Henry Eckart (May 4, 1902 – October 23, 1973) was an American physicist, physical oceanographer, geophysicist, and administrator. He co-developed the Wigner–Eckart theorem and is also known for the Eckart conditions in quantum mechanics ...
,
Victor Lenzen Victor Fritz Lenzen (14 December 1890, San Jose – 18 July 1975, Oakland) was an American physicist most noted for his logical rigour and commitment to teaching. His father was a building contractor. He went to Lick-Wilmerding High School, San Fr ...
, William Hunter McCrea,
Julius Sumner Miller Julius Sumner Miller (May 17, 1909 – April 14, 1987) was an American physicist and television personality. He is best known for his work on children's television programs in North America and Australia. Off-screen Julius Sumner Miller was bor ...
,
John Lighton Synge John Lighton Synge (; 23 March 1897 – 30 March 1995) was an Irish mathematician and physicist, whose seven-decade career included significant periods in Ireland, Canada, and the USA. He was a prolific author and influential mentor, and is cre ...
, and
Stephen Toulmin Stephen Edelston Toulmin (; 25 March 1922 – 4 December 2009) was a British philosopher, author, and educator. Influenced by Ludwig Wittgenstein, Toulmin devoted his works to the analysis of moral reasoning. Throughout his writings, he sought t ...
reviewed the book. The second volume extended this work covering the years 1900 to 1926, including the early development of special relativity,
general relativity General relativity, also known as the general theory of relativity and Einstein's theory of gravity, is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1915 and is the current description of gravitation in modern physics ...
, old quantum theory, and quantum mechanics. Among others,
Max Born Max Born (; 11 December 1882 – 5 January 1970) was a German physicist and mathematician who was instrumental in the development of quantum mechanics. He also made contributions to solid-state physics and optics and supervised the work of a n ...
, Freeman Dyson, Rolf Hagedorn, and Percy Williams Bridgman reviewed the book. Whittaker's role in the relativity priority dispute centres on chapter two of the second volume, where he claims that Lorentz and Poincare had developed the theory of relativity before Einstein. Due to the controversy this sparked, the second volume is cited far less than the first volume and first edition, except in connection with the priority dispute.


Other books and monographs


Articles

Whittaker wrote many maths, physics, and astronomy articles over his career in addition to many others in subjects like history, philosophy, and theism. He also wrote several popular articles in magazines such as ''Scientific American'' as well as several book reviews. Whittaker wrote over twenty biographical articles and obituaries throughout his life, including one for
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
just a few months before his own death.
John Lighton Synge John Lighton Synge (; 23 March 1897 – 30 March 1995) was an Irish mathematician and physicist, whose seven-decade career included significant periods in Ireland, Canada, and the USA. He was a prolific author and influential mentor, and is cre ...
reviewed ten of Whittaker's papers when he wrote about Whittaker's contributions to
electromagnetism In physics, electromagnetism is an interaction that occurs between particles with electric charge. It is the second-strongest of the four fundamental interactions, after the strong force, and it is the dominant force in the interactions of a ...
and
general relativity General relativity, also known as the general theory of relativity and Einstein's theory of gravity, is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1915 and is the current description of gravitation in modern physics ...
. Among other tributes as part of the same memorial volume of the ''
Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society In academia and librarianship, conference proceedings is a collection of academic papers published in the context of an academic conference or workshop. Conference proceedings typically contain the contributions made by researchers at the conferen ...
'',
George Frederick James Temple Dom George Frederick James Temple FRS OSB (born 2 September 1901, London; died 30 January 1992, Isle of Wight) was an English mathematician, recipient of the Sylvester Medal in 1969. He was President of the London Mathematical Society in the ye ...
wrote about Whittaker's work on harmonic functions, and
Alexander Aitken Alexander Craig "Alec" Aitken (1 April 1895 – 3 November 1967) was one of New Zealand's most eminent mathematicians. In a 1935 paper he introduced the concept of generalized least squares, along with now standard vector/matrix notation fo ...
wrote about his work on algebra and
numerical analysis Numerical analysis is the study of algorithms that use numerical approximation (as opposed to symbolic computation, symbolic manipulations) for the problems of mathematical analysis (as distinguished from discrete mathematics). It is the study of ...
.


Maths and science


Philosophy and history


Biographical


Book reviews


Popular articles


See also

*
Bibliography of Max Born Max Born was a widely influential German physicist and mathematician who was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Physics for his pivotal role in the development of quantum mechanics. Born won the prize primarily for his contributions to the statisti ...
* List of scientific publications by Albert Einstein * List of important publications in mathematics *
List of important publications in physics This is a list of important publications in physics, organized by field. Some reasons why a particular publication might be regarded as important: *Topic creator – A publication that created a new topic *Breakthrough – A publication ...
* List of textbooks on classical mechanics and quantum mechanics


Publications


References


Further reading

* * * * * * * * * * {{E. T. Whittaker
Whittaker Whittaker is a surname of English origin, meaning 'white acre', and a given name. Variants include Whitaker and Whitacre (disambiguation), Whitacre. People with the name include: Surname A *Aaron Whittaker (born 1968), New Zealand rugby player ...
Whittaker Whittaker is a surname of English origin, meaning 'white acre', and a given name. Variants include Whitaker and Whitacre (disambiguation), Whitacre. People with the name include: Surname A *Aaron Whittaker (born 1968), New Zealand rugby player ...
E. T. Whittaker