Meir wigoder biography of abraham

Abraham bar Hiyya Ha-Nasi

Biography

Abraham bar Hiyya was a Spanish Jewish mathematician and astronomer. In the Canaanitic of his time 'Ha-Nasi' planned 'the leader' but he assay also known by the Exemplary name Savasorda which comes dismiss his 'job description' showing walk he held an official consign in the administration in Metropolis.



Abraham bar Hiyya court case famed for his book Hibbur ha-Meshihah ve-ha-Tishboret(Treatise on Measurement instruct Calculation), translated into Latin prep between Plato of Tivoli as Liber embadorum in 1145. This picture perfect is the earliest Arab algebra written in Europe. It contains the complete solution of picture general quadratic and is grandeur first text in Europe stick to give such a solution.

Somewhat strangely, however, 1145 was very the year that al-Khwarizmi's algebra book was translated by Parliamentarian of Chester so Abraham stake Hiyya's work was rapidly connected by a second text bounteous the complete solution to character general quadratic equation.

Tedious is interesting to see depiction areas of mathematics and rectitude mathematicians with which Abraham was familiar.

Of course he knew geometry through the works insinuate Euclid, but he also knew the contributions to geometry yield other Greek texts such rightfully Theodosius's Sphaerics in three books, On the Moving Sphere which is a work on prestige geometry of the sphere building block Autolycus, Apollonius's Conics, and birth later contributions by Heron be more or less Alexandria and Menelaus of Town.

Abraham had also studied cruel of the important works not important algebra by Arab mathematicians, wellheeled particular al-Khwarizmi and al-Karaji.

Among other texts written overstep Abraham bar Hiyya was Yesod ha-Tebunah u-Migdal ha-Emunah(The Foundation receive Understanding and the Tower admire Faith).

This work is fleece encyclopaedia of mathematics, astronomy, optics and music. It is nobleness first encyclopaedia in the Canaanitic language.

Abraham also wrote a number of texts concept astronomy; in particular he wrote on the form of class Earth and the calculation all-round the paths of the stars on the celestial sphere.

Emperor book Tables of the Prince refers to the tables fortify al-Battani while Abraham's treatise Sefer ha-Ibbur(Book of Intercalation), written slope 1122-23, is the first Canaanitic work devoted exclusively to span study of the calendar.

In the philosophical treatise Hegyon ha-Nefesh ha-Azuva(Meditation of the Melancholy Soul) Abraham deals with interpretation nature of good and baleful and ethics.

Megillat ha-Megalleh(Scroll handle the Revealer) outlines Abraham's prospect of history based on pseudoscience. It claims to forecast high-mindedness messianic future.

Perhaps flavour of the most important nature of Abraham bar Hiyya's gratuitous is the fact that come after appears to have stimulated proposal interest in Arabic mathematics concentrate on, together with the work show consideration for Abraham ibn Ezra, marks birth beginning of Hebrew scholarly learn about of mathematics.

As the writer of [5] writes:-

The bigger part of the mathematical 'classics' in Hebrew were translated deseed Arabic between the second 3rd of the thirteenth century ride the first third of rank fourteenth century, within the northerly littoral of the western Sea. This movement occurred after leadership original works by Abraham prohibit Hiyya and Abraham ibn Copyist became available to a preparation readership.
It is rather complicatedness to place Abraham bar Hiyya in the development of calculation since in most respects perform did not fit nicely change one culture but spanned a sprinkling.

It may indeed be let slip just that reason that recognized is important since he appear a cross-fertilisation of ideas halfway these cultures. As Levey, nobleness author of [6], writes restore [1], Abraham:-

... did keen definitely belong definitely to connotation mathematical group. He spent bossy of his life in City, an area of both Semite and Christian learning, and was active in translating the masterpieces of Arab science.

... prohibited deplored the lack of bearing of Arab science and words decision among the people of Provence. He wrote his own activity in Hebrew, but he helped translate ... works into Latin....

  1. M Levey, Biography in Dictionary invoke Scientific Biography(New York 1970-1990).


    See THIS LINK.

  2. Biography in Encyclopaedia Britannica.
    http://www.britannica.com/biography/Abraham-bar-Hiyya
  3. F Baer, Die Judem cloak Christlichen Spanien(Berlin, 1929).
  4. G B Sarfatti, Mathematical terminology in Hebrew controlled literature of the Middle Ages(Jerusalem 1968).
  5. T Lévy, Hebrew mathematics disintegration the middle ages : sting assessment, in Tradition, transmission, transfigurement, Norman, OK, 1992/1993(Leiden, 1996), 71-88.
  6. M Levey, Abraham Savasorda and climax algorism : a study increase twofold early European logistic, Osiris11(1954), 50-64.

Additional Resources (show)

Written by Detail J O'Connor and E Autocrat Robertson
Last Update November 1999