15/12/2017

Georg Cantor (1845-1918) – Father of Infinity and of the ICM

The son of Danish parents, mathematician Georg Cantor is one of the founders of the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) alongside Felix Klein. Born in Russia in 1845, he emigrated with his family to Germany in his childhood. A specialist in number theory, at the end of the 19th century he developed the modern theory of sets, which opened doors for him to expand the frontiers of mathematics and define the concept of infinity.

His revolutionary theory generated enormous debates and animosity among mathematicians of the time. Because of his strong religious beliefs, Cantor was viewed unfavorably by the mathematical community and suffered boycotts. Working alone, he demonstrated that some sets of infinities could be more infinite than others, and he called them 'aleph zero'.

Persecuted and criticized for his thesis, his mental health was compromised. Later, his methods were assimilated and proved perfectly practical and useful. Recognized, he was named an honorary member of the London Mathematical Society and honored with the medal of the Royal Society of London. David Hilbert (1862-1943), one of his few defenders, stated: “May no one be able to take us away from the paradise that Cantor created for us.” Disturbed by the persecutions, he died at the age of 72 in a psychiatric clinic in Germany.