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   George Boole  (1815 - 1864) - Biography - MacTutor History of Mathematics
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He also worked on differential equations, the calculus of finite differences and general methods in probability."property=og:description><meta content="Maths History"property=og:site_name><meta content=en_GB property=og:locale><meta content=https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Boole/ property=og:url><meta content=https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Boole/thumbnail.jpg property=og:image><meta content=147 property=og:image:width><meta content=180 property=og:image:height><meta content=image/ property=og:image:type><meta content=summary name=twitter:card><meta content="Maths History"name=twitter:site><meta content="George Boole"name=twitter:title><meta content="George Boole approached logic in a new way reducing it to a simple algebra, incorporating logic into mathematics. He also worked on differential equations, the calculus of finite differences and general methods in probability."name=twitter:description><meta content=https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Boole/thumbnail.jpg name=twitter:image><body><main class=container role=main><header class="site-header py-3"><div class="row flex-nowrap justify-content-between align-items-center"><div class="col pt-1"><a class=site-header-name href=../../> <h1 class=site-header-name><img height=48 src=../../static/img/logo.png>  MacTutor</h1> </a></div></div></header><div class="container nav-bar"><div class="row nav"><a class="col-md-auto p-2"href=../../> Home </a><a class="col-md-auto p-2"href=../../Biographies/> Biographies </a><a class="col-md-auto p-2"href=../../HistTopics/> History Topics </a><a class="col-md-auto p-2"href=../../Map/> Map </a><a class="col-md-auto p-2"href=../../Curves/> Curves </a><a class="col-md-auto p-2"href=../../Search/> Search </a></div></div><div class=row><div class=col-md-12><h1>George Boole</h1></div></div><hr><div class=row><div class=col-md-8><h3>Quick Info</h3><dt>Born<dd>2 November 1815 <br> <a href=../../Map/#Lincoln target=_blank> Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England </a><dt>Died<dd>8 December 1864 <br> Ballintemple, County Cork, Ireland</dd><hr><dt>Summary<dd><b> George Boole </b> approached logic in a new way reducing it to a simple algebra, incorporating logic into mathematics. He also worked on differential equations, the calculus of finite differences and general methods in probability.</div><div class="col-md-4 biography-thumbnail-container"><a href=../../Biographies/Boole/pictdisplay/ target=_blank> <img class=biography-thumbnail src=../../Biographies/Boole/thumbnail.jpg> <br> View four larger pictures </a></div></div><hr><div class=row><div class=col-md-12><h3>Biography</h3><b> George Boole </b> 's parents were Mary Ann Joyce and John Boole. John made shoes but he was interested in science and in particular the application of mathematics to scientific instruments. Mary Ann was a lady's maid and she married John on <span class=non-italic> 14 </span> September <span class=non-italic> 1806 </span> . They moved to Lincoln where John opened a cobbler's shop at <span class=non-italic> 34 </span> Silver Street. The family were not well off, partly because John's love of science and mathematics meant that he did not devote the energy to developing his business in the way he might have done. George, their first child, was born after Mary Ann and John had been married for nine years. They had almost given up hope of having children after this time so it was an occasion for great rejoicing. George was christened the day after he was born, an indication that he was a weak child that his parents feared might not live. He was named after John's father who had died in April <span class=non-italic> 1815 </span> . Over the next five years Mary Ann and John had three further children, Mary Ann, William and Charles. <br><br> If George was a weak child after his birth, he certainly soon became strong and healthy. George first attended a school in Lincoln for children of tradesmen run by two Misses Clarke when he was less than two years old. After a year he went to a commercial school run by Mr Gibson, a friend of John Boole, where he remained until he was seven years old. His early instruction in mathematics, however, was from his father who also gave George a liking for constructing optical instruments. When he was seven George attended a primary school where he was taught by Mr Reeves. His interests turned to languages and his father arranged that he receive instruction in Latin from a local bookseller. <br><br> Having learnt Latin from a tutor, George went on to teach himself Greek. By the age of <span class=non-italic> 14 </span> he had become so skilled in Greek that it provoked an argument. He translated a poem by the Greek poet Meleager which his father was so proud of that he had it published. However the talent was such that a local schoolmaster disputed that any <span class=non-italic> 14 </span> year old could have written with such depth. By this time George was attending Bainbridge's Commercial Academy in Lincoln which he had entered on <span class=non-italic> 10 </span> September <span class=non-italic> 1828 </span> . This school did not provide the type of education he would have wished but it was all his parents could afford. However he was able to teach himself French and German studying for himself academic subjects that a commercial school did not cover. <br><br> Boole did not study for an academic degree, but from the age of <span class=non-italic> 16 </span> he was an assistant school teacher at Heigham's School in Doncaster. This was rather forced on him since his father's business collapsed and he found himself having to support financially his parents, brothers and sister. He maintained his interest in languages, began to study mathematics seriously, and gave up ideas which he had to enter the Church. The first advanced mathematics book he read was <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Lacroix/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Lacroix/> Lacroix </a> 's <i> Differential and integral calculus </i> . He was later to realise that he had almost wasted five years in trying to teach himself the subject instead of having a skilled teacher. In <span class=non-italic> 1833 </span> he moved to a new teaching position in Liverpool but he only remained there for six months before moving to Hall's Academy in Waddington, four miles from Lincoln. In <span class=non-italic> 1834 </span> he opened his own school in Lincoln although he was only <span class=non-italic> 19 </span> years old. <br><br> In <span class=non-italic> 1838 </span> Robert Hall, who had run Hall's Academy in Waddington, died and Boole was invited to take over the school which he did. His parents, brothers and sister moved to Waddington and together they ran the school which had both boarding and day pupils. At this time Boole was studying the works of <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Laplace/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Laplace/> Laplace </a> and <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Lagrange/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Lagrange/> Lagrange </a> , making notes which would later be the basis for his first mathematics paper. However he did receive encouragement from <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Gregory_Duncan/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Gregory_Duncan/> Duncan Gregory </a> who at this time was in Cambridge and the editor of the recently founded <i> Cambridge Mathematical Journal </i> . Boole was unable to take <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Gregory_Duncan/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Gregory_Duncan/> Duncan Gregory </a> 's advice and study courses at Cambridge as he required the income from his school to look after his parents. In the summer of <span class=non-italic> 1840 </span> he had opened a boarding school in Lincoln and again the whole family had moved with him. He began publishing regularly in the <i> Cambridge Mathematical Journal </i> and his interests were influenced by <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Gregory_Duncan/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Gregory_Duncan/> Duncan Gregory </a> as he began to study algebra. <br><br> Boole had begun to correspond with <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/popup/ href=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/> De Morgan </a> in <span class=non-italic> 1842 </span> and when in the following year he wrote a paper <i> On a general method of analysis </i> applying algebraic methods to the solution of <a class=gllink data-popup=../../Glossary/differential_equation/ href=../../Glossary/#differential_equation> differential equations </a> he sent it to <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/popup/ href=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/> De Morgan </a> for comments. It was published by Boole in the <i> Transactions of the <a class=aclink href=../../Societies/RS/ target=_blank> Royal Society </a> </i> in <span class=non-italic> 1844 </span> and for this work he received the Society's Royal Medal in November <span class=non-italic> 1844 </span> . His mathematical work was beginning to bring him fame. <br><br> Boole was appointed to the chair of mathematics at Queens College, Cork in <span class=non-italic> 1849 </span> . In fact he made an application for a chair in any of the new Queen's Colleges of Ireland in <span class=non-italic> 1846 </span> and in September of that year <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/popup/ href=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/> De Morgan </a> , <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Kelland/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Kelland/> Kelland </a> , <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Cayley/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Cayley/> Cayley </a> , and <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Thomson/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Thomson/> Thomson </a> were among those writing testimonials in support. <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/popup/ href=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/> De Morgan </a> wrote <span class=non-italic> ( </span> see for example <span> <span class=non-italic> [ </span> <a data-popup='G C Smith, <i>The Boole - De Morgan correspondence, <span class="non-italic">1842</span>-<span class="non-italic">1864</span></i> <span class="non-italic">(</span>New York, <span class="non-italic">1982)</span>.'class=reference href=../../Biographies/Boole/#reference-7> <span class=non-italic> 7 </span> </a> <span class=non-italic> ] </span> </span><span class=non-italic> ) </span> :- <blockquote>I can speak confidently to the fact of his being not only well-versed in the highest branches of mathematics, but possessed of original power for their extension which gives him a very respectable rank among their English cultivators of this day.</blockquote><a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Kelland/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Kelland/> Kelland </a> wrote:- <blockquote>From the originality of his conceptions and the extent and accuracy of his knowledge, I conceive he has few superiors in Europe ...</blockquote> Boole's father died in December <span class=non-italic> 1848 </span> before the decision had been made concerning the Irish chairs but an announcement came in August <span class=non-italic> 1849 </span> that Boole was to become the first Professor of Mathematics at Queen's College, Cork, and he took up the position in November. He taught there for the rest of his life, gaining a reputation as an outstanding and dedicated teacher. However the position was not without difficulty as the College became embroiled in religious disputes. Boole wrote to <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/popup/ href=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/> De Morgan </a> on <span class=non-italic> 17 </span> October <span class=non-italic> 1850 </span><span class=non-italic> ( </span> see for example <span> <span class=non-italic> [ </span> <a data-popup='G C Smith, <i>The Boole - De Morgan correspondence, <span class="non-italic">1842</span>-<span class="non-italic">1864</span></i> <span class="non-italic">(</span>New York, <span class="non-italic">1982)</span>.'class=reference href=../../Biographies/Boole/#reference-7> <span class=non-italic> 7 </span> </a> <span class=non-italic> ] </span> </span><span class=non-italic> ) </span> :- <blockquote>... if you should hear of any situation in England that would be likely to suit me ... let me know of it. I am not terrified by the storm of religious bigotry which is at this moment raging round us here. I am not dissatisfied with my duties and I may venture to say that I am on good terms with my colleagues and with my pupils. But I cannot help entertaining a feeling ... that recent events in this College have laid the foundation of a lack of mutual trust and confidence among us ...</blockquote> In May <span class=non-italic> 1851 </span> Boole was elected as Dean of Science, a role he carried out conscientiously. By this time he had already met <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/> Mary Everest </a><span class=non-italic> ( </span> a niece of Sir George Everest, after whom the mountain is named <span class=non-italic> ) </span> whose uncle was the professor of Greek at Cork and a friend of Boole. They met first in <span class=non-italic> 1850 </span> when <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/> Mary </a> visited her uncle in Cork and again in July <span class=non-italic> 1852 </span> when Boole visited the Everest family in Wickwar, Gloucestershire, England. Boole began to give <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/> Mary </a> informal mathematics lessons on the differential calculus. At this time he was <span class=non-italic> 37 </span> years old while <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/> Mary </a> was only <span class=non-italic> 20 </span> . In <span class=non-italic> 1855 </span><a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/> Mary </a> 's father died leaving her without means of support and Boole proposed marriage. They married on <span class=non-italic> 11 </span> September <span class=non-italic> 1855 </span> at a small ceremony in Wickwar. It proved a very happy marriage with five daughters: Mary Ellen born in <span class=non-italic> 1856 </span> , Margaret born in <span class=non-italic> 1858 </span> , Alicia <span class=non-italic> ( </span> later <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Stott/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Stott/> Alicia Stott </a><span class=non-italic> ) </span> born in <span class=non-italic> 1860 </span> , Lucy Everest born in <span class=non-italic> 1862 </span> , and Ethel Lilian born in <span class=non-italic> 1864 </span> . MacHale writes <span> <span class=non-italic> [ </span> <a data-popup='G C Smith, <i>The Boole - De Morgan correspondence, <span class="non-italic">1842</span>-<span class="non-italic">1864</span></i> <span class="non-italic">(</span>New York, <span class="non-italic">1982)</span>.'class=reference href=../../Biographies/Boole/#reference-7> <span class=non-italic> 7 </span> </a> <span class=non-italic> ] </span> </span> :- <blockquote>The large gap in their ages seemed to count for nothing because they were kindred spirits with an almost complete unity of purpose.</blockquote> Let us now look at Boole's most important work. In <span class=non-italic> 1854 </span> he published <i> An investigation into the Laws of Thought, on Which are founded the Mathematical Theories of Logic and Probabilities </i> . Boole approached logic in a new way reducing it to a simple algebra, incorporating logic into mathematics. He pointed out the analogy between algebraic symbols and those that represent logical forms. It began the algebra of logic called <a class=gllink data-popup=../../Glossary/boolean_algebra/ href=../../Glossary/#boolean_algebra> Boolean algebra </a> which now finds application in computer construction, switching circuits etc. Boole himself understood the importance of the work. He wrote in a letter to <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Thomson/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Thomson/> Thomson </a> dated <span class=non-italic> 2 </span> January <span class=non-italic> 1851 </span><span class=non-italic> ( </span> see for example <span> <span class=non-italic> [ </span> <a data-popup='G C Smith, <i>The Boole - De Morgan correspondence, <span class="non-italic">1842</span>-<span class="non-italic">1864</span></i> <span class="non-italic">(</span>New York, <span class="non-italic">1982)</span>.'class=reference href=../../Biographies/Boole/#reference-7> <span class=non-italic> 7 </span> </a> <span class=non-italic> ] </span> </span><span class=non-italic> ) </span> :- <blockquote>I am now about to set seriously to work upon preparing for the press an account of my theory of Logic and Probabilities which in its present state I look upon as the most valuable if not the only valuable contribution that I have made or am likely to make to Science and the thing by which I would desire if at all to be remembered hereafter ...</blockquote> Boole also worked on differential equations, the influential <i> Treatise on Differential Equations </i> appeared in <span class=non-italic> 1859 </span> , the calculus of finite differences, <i> Treatise on the Calculus of Finite Differences </i><span class=non-italic> (1860) </span> , and general methods in <a class=gllink data-popup=../../Glossary/probability_theory/ href=../../Glossary/#probability_theory> probability </a> . He published around <span class=non-italic> 50 </span> papers and was one of the first to investigate the basic properties of numbers, such as the distributive property, that underlie the subject of algebra. <br><br> Many honours were given to Boole as the genius in his work was recognised. He received honorary degrees from the universities of Dublin and Oxford and was elected a Fellow of the <a class=aclink href=../../Societies/RS/ target=_blank> Royal Society </a><span class=non-italic> (1857) </span> . However his career, which was started rather late, came to an unfortunately early end when he died at the age of <span class=non-italic> 49 </span> . The circumstances are described by <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Macfarlane/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Macfarlane/> Macfarlane </a> in <span> <span class=non-italic> [ </span> <a data-popup='S S Petrova, G Boole and the development of the calculus of operations in England <span class="non-italic">(</span>Russian<span class="non-italic">)</span>, <i>History and methodology of the natural sciences</i> <span class="non-italic">(</span>Moscow, <span class="non-italic">1982)</span>, <span class="non-italic">98</span>-<span class="non-italic">103</span>.'class=reference href=../../Biographies/Boole/#reference-18> <span class=non-italic> 18 </span> </a> <span class=non-italic> ] </span> </span> as follows:- <blockquote>One day in <span class=non-italic> 1864 </span> he walked from his residence to the College, a distance of two miles, in the drenching rain, and lectured in wet clothes. The result was a feverish cold which soon fell upon his lungs and terminated his career ....</blockquote> What <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Macfarlane/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Macfarlane/> Macfarlane </a> fails to say is that <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Boole_Mary/> Boole's wife </a> believed that a remedy should resemble the cause. She put Boole to bed and threw buckets of water over the bed since his illness had been caused by getting wet. <br><br><a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Hirst/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Hirst/> Hirst </a> described Boole as:- <blockquote>... evidently an earnest able and at the same time a genial man.</blockquote> His work was praised by <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/popup/ href=../../Biographies/De_Morgan/> De Morgan </a> who said:- <blockquote>Boole's system of logic is but one of many proofs of genius and patience combined. ... That the symbolic processes of algebra, invented as tools of numerical calculation, should be competent to express every act of thought, and to furnish the grammar and dictionary of an all-containing system of logic, would not have been believed until it was proved. When <a class=mlink data-popup=../../Biographies/Hobbes/popup/ href=../../Biographies/Hobbes/> Hobbes </a> ... published his "Computation or Logique" he had a remote glimpse of some of the points which are placed in the light of day by Mr Boole.</blockquote> Boolean algebra has wide applications in telephone switching and the design of modern computers. Boole's work has to be seen as a fundamental step in today's computer revolution. <br></div></div><hr><div class="row mt-2"><div class=col-md-12><a href=../../Biographies/Boole/quotations/> Quotations by George Boole </a><br><a href=../../Countries/England/> Other Mathematicians born in England </a><br><a href=../../Biographies/Boole/poster/lived/> A Poster of George Boole </a></div></div><hr><div class=row><div class=col-md-12><h3>References <span class=nonoscript> ( <a href=# id=references-toggle> show </a> ) </span></h3></div></div><div class=row id=references-list><div class=col-md-12><ol name=references><li id=reference-1>T A A Broadbent, Biography in <i> Dictionary of Scientific Biography </i> <span class=non-italic> ( </span> New York <span class=non-italic> 1970 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 1990) </span> . See <a href=../../DSB/Boole.pdf> THIS LINK </a> .<li id=reference-2>Biography in <i> Encyclopaedia Britannica. </i> <a href=http://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Boole> http://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Boole </a><li id=reference-3>P D Barry <span class=non-italic> ( </span> ed. <span class=non-italic> ) </span> , <i> George Boole : a miscellany </i> <span class=non-italic> ( </span> Cork, <span class=non-italic> 1969) </span> .<li id=reference-4>E T Bell, <i> Men of Mathematics </i> <span class=non-italic> (1961) </span> .<li id=reference-5>R Harley, <i> George Boole : an essay, biographical and expository </i> <span class=non-italic> ( </span> London, <span class=non-italic> 1866) </span> .<li id=reference-6>D McHale, <i> George Boole : his life and work </i> <span class=non-italic> ( </span> Dublin, <span class=non-italic> 1985) </span> .<li id=reference-7>G C Smith, <i> The Boole - De Morgan correspondence, <span class=non-italic> 1842 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 1864 </span> </i> <span class=non-italic> ( </span> New York, <span class=non-italic> 1982) </span> .<li id=reference-8>R Feys, Boole as a logician, <i> Proc. Roy. Irish Acad. Sect. A. </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 57 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1955) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 97 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 106 </span> .<li id=reference-9>N Gessler, George Boole et l'algèbre de la logique, in <i> Études logiques </i> <span class=non-italic> ( </span> Neuchâtel, <span class=non-italic> 1993) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 123 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 169 </span> .<li id=reference-10>I Grattan-Guinness, The correspondence between George Boole and Stanley Jevons, <span class=non-italic> 1863 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 1864 </span> , <i> Hist. Philos. Logic </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 12 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1) </span> <span class=non-italic> (1991) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 15 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 35 </span> .<li id=reference-11>I Grattan-Guinness, Psychology in the foundations of logic and mathematics : the cases of Boole, Cantor and Brouwer, <i> Hist. Philos. Logic </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 3 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1) </span> <span class=non-italic> (1982) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 33 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 53 </span> .<li id=reference-12>F E Hackett, The method of George Boole, <i> Proc. Roy. Irish Acad. Sect. A. </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 57 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1955) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 79 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 87 </span> .<li id=reference-13>T Hailperin, Boole's abandoned propositional logic, <i> Hist. Philos. Logic </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 5 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1) </span> <span class=non-italic> (1984) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 39 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 48 </span> .<li id=reference-14>W Kneale, Boole and the Revival of Logic, <i> Mind </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 57 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1948) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 149 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 175 </span> .<li id=reference-15>W Kneale, Boole and the revival of logic, <i> Mind </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 57 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1948) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 149 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 175 </span> .<li id=reference-16>L de Ledesma, and L M Laita, George Boole : From differential equations to mathematical logic, in <i> Proceedings of the Mathematical Meeting in Honor of A Dou </i> <span class=non-italic> ( </span> Madrid, <span class=non-italic> 1989) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 341 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 351 </span> .<li id=reference-17>A Macfarlane, <i> Lectures on Ten British Mathematicians of the Nineteenth Century </i> <span class=non-italic> ( </span> New York, <span class=non-italic> 1916) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 50 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 63 </span> . <a href=http://www.gutenberg.net/etext06/tbmms10p.pdf> http://www.gutenberg.net/etext <span class=non-italic> 06 </span> /tbmms <span class=non-italic> 10 </span> p.pdf </a><li id=reference-18>S S Petrova, G Boole and the development of the calculus of operations in England <span class=non-italic> ( </span> Russian <span class=non-italic> ) </span> , <i> History and methodology of the natural sciences </i> <span class=non-italic> ( </span> Moscow, <span class=non-italic> 1982) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 98 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 103 </span> .<li id=reference-19>R Rhees <span class=non-italic> ( </span> ed. <span class=non-italic> ) </span> , George Boole as student and teacher. By some of his friends and pupils, <i> Proc. Roy. Irish Acad. Sect. A. </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 57 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1955) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 74 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 78 </span> .<li id=reference-20>J Richards, Boole and Mill : differing perspectives on logical psychologism, in <i> History and philosophy of logic </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 1 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> ( </span> Tunbridge Wells, <span class=non-italic> 1980) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 19 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 36 </span> .<li id=reference-21>J B Rosser, Boole and the concept of a function, <i> Proc. Roy. Irish Acad. Sect. A. </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 57 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1955) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 117 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 120 </span> .<li id=reference-22>G C Smith, Boole's annotations on 'The mathematical analysis of logic', <i> Hist. Philos. Logic </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 4 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1) </span> <span class=non-italic> (1983) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 27 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 38 </span> .<li id=reference-23>G Taylor, George Boole, <span class=non-italic> 1815 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 1864 </span> , <i> Proc. Roy. Irish Acad. Sect. A. </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 57 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1955) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 66 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 73 </span> .<li id=reference-24>I Thomas, Boole's concept of science, <i> Proc. Roy. Irish Acad. Sect. A. </i> <b> <span class=non-italic> 57 </span> </b> <span class=non-italic> (1955) </span> , <span class=non-italic> 88 </span> - <span class=non-italic> 96 </span> .</ol></div></div><hr><div class=row><div class=col-md-12><h3>Additional Resources <span class=nonoscript> ( <a href=# id=additional-toggle> show </a> ) </span></h3></div></div><div class=row id=additional-list><div class=col-md-6><p>Other pages about George Boole:<ol name=additional><li><a href=../../TimesObituaries/Boole.html> Obituary: The Times </a><li><a href=../../Bookpages/Boole9.gif> Title page of Boole's <i> Investigation of the Laws of Thought </i> <span class=non-italic> (1854) </span> </a><li><a href=../../Gaz/Boole/> Multiple entries in <i> The Mathematical Gazetteer of the British Isles </i> , </a><li><a href=../../Extras/Boole_Thomson_correspondence/> Extracts from Boole-Thomson correspondence </a><li><a href=../../Strick/boole.pdf> Heinz Klaus Strick biography </a></ol></div><div class=col-md-6><p>Other websites about George Boole:<ol name=otherweb><li><a href=../../DSB/Boole.pdf target=_blank> Dictionary of Scientific Biography </a><li><a href=../../DNB/Boole.html target=_blank> Dictionary of National Biography </a><li><a href=http://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Boole target=_blank> Encyclopaedia Britannica </a><li><a href=http://www.nndb.com/people/823/000031730/ target=_blank> NNDB </a><li><a href=https://www.google.com/doodles/https://www.google.com/doodles/george-booles-200th-birthday target=_blank> A Google doodle </a><li><a href=http://www.rogerparsons.info/george/boole.html target=_blank> Lincolnshire World </a><li><a href=http://www.maths.tcd.ie/pub/HistMath/People/Boole/ target=_blank> David R Wilkins </a><li><a href=https://plus.maths.org/content/george-boole target=_blank> Plus Magazine </a><li><a href=http://www.google.co.uk/logos/doodles/2015/george-booles-200th-birthday-5636122663190528.2-hp.gif target=_blank> Google doodle </a><li><a href=https://georgeboole200.ucc.ie target=_blank> George Boole bicentenary </a><li><a href=http://www.ams.org/mathscinet/MRAuthorID/39385 target=_blank> MathSciNet Author profile </a><li><a href=https://zbmath.org/authors/?s=0&q=Boole%2C+George target=_blank> zbMATH entry </a><li><a href=https://www.emis.de/cgi-bin/jfmen/MATH/JFM/quick.html?type=html&format=short&au=Boole,+G target=_blank> ERAM Jahrbuch entry </a></ol></div></div><hr><div class=row><div class=col-md-12><h3>Honours <span class=nonoscript> ( <a href=# id=honours-toggle> show </a> ) </span></h3></div></div><div class=row id=honours-list><div class=col-md-12><p>Honours awarded to George Boole<ol name=honours><li><a href=../../Honours/RoyalMedal/> Royal Society Royal Medal <span class=non-italic> 1844 </span> </a><li><a href=../../Honours/FRS/> Fellow of the Royal Society <span class=non-italic> 1857 </span> </a><li><a href=../../Honours/LunarFeatures0/> Lunar features <b> Crater Boole </b> </a><li><a href=../../Miscellaneous/Popular/> Popular biographies list Number <span class=non-italic> 70 </span> </a></ol></div></div><hr><div class=row><div class=col-md-12><h3>Cross-references <span class=nonoscript> ( <a href=# id=xrefs-toggle> show </a> ) </span></h3></div></div><div class=row id=xrefs-list><div class=col-md-12><ol name=xrefs><li><a href=../../HistTopics/Cubic_surfaces/> History Topics: Cubic surfaces </a><li><a href=../../HistTopics/Hirst_comments/> History Topics: Extracts from Thomas Hirst's diary </a><li><a href=../../Miscellaneous/Popular_2009/> Other: 2009 Most popular biographies </a><li><a href=../../Miscellaneous/Popular/> Other: Most popular biographies </a></ol></div></div><hr><div class=row><div class=col-md-12>Written by J J O'Connor and E F Robertson <br> Last Update June 2004</div></div><footer class="site-footer mt-3 pb-3 pt-3 pt-md-0"><div class=row><div class="cr-footer col-md-4">DJF/JOC/EFR <br><a href=../../Miscellaneous/copyright/> Copyright information </a></div><div class="links-footer col-md-6"><a href=http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/maths/ target=_blank> School of Mathematics and Statistics </a><br><a href=http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/ target=_blank> University of St Andrews, Scotland </a></div><div class=col-md-2><img alt="University of St Andrews logo"src=../../static/img/st-andrews-logo.png?h=e46f195e></div></div><hr><div class=row><div class=col-md-12>If you have comments, or spot errors, we are always pleased to <a href=../../Miscellaneous/contact_us/> hear from you </a> .</div></div></footer></main><script src=../../static/js/popper.min.js?h=313789ca></script><script src=../../static/js/tippy-bundle.iife.min.js?h=99c14441></script><script src=../../static/js/site-popups.js?h=7ad47578></script><script src=../../static/js/foldup.js?h=0b5aeaab></script><script src=../../static/js/extras-popup.js?h=0ee90fa5></script><script src=../../static/js/imageMapResizer.min.js?h=319b7d80></script><script>imageMapResize();</script>