On Logic, Language and Numbers: Sanford Shieh Discusses Gottlob Frege’s Enduring Mathematical Legacy
Friedrich Ludwig Gottlob Frege (1848-1925) was a German philosopher, logician, and mathematician responsible for the development
What Kinds of Creatures are We?: Noam Chomsky on the Scope and Limits of Human Knowledge
British biologist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) laid the foundations of the theory of evolution and transformed the way we think about the natural world. Few books have influenced human thought more than his On the Origin of Species. Published in 1859, it expounded his theory of natural selection, shocking...
“The Inimitable” Charles Dickens: Jane Smiley on the British Novelist’s Many Sides and Enduring Appeal
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) has been widely regarded as one of the greatest British writers of the 19th century. His novels, including A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities, portray the often-grim existence of ordinary people in the Victorian era—the depiction he based on his own childhood hardships.
He Came, He Saw, He Conquered: Timothy May on the Legendary Mongolian Conqueror Genghis Khan
Founder of the Mongol Empire and one of the most feared conquerors of all time, Genghis Khan (1162–1227) created the largest empire in the world by destroying individual tribes in Northeast Asia. Timothy May is Associate Dean of the College of Arts & Letters at the University of...
Simply Charly Expert Ezra T. Newman Receives Coveted Einstein Prize
Ezra T. Newman, an Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Pittsburgh and resident Einstein expert for Simply Charly, won the prestigious Einstein Prize which is awarded biennially. For full story, click here.
“Bound by The World Order in Which He Lived”: Gavin Kennedy on Why Adam Smith Was a Realist, Not an Ideologue
The author of what is widely considered to be “the Bible of capitalism,” Adam Smith (1723–1790) was a Scottish philosopher and economist who pioneered modern economic theory. A contemporary of such figures as David Hume and Benjamin Franklin, Smith’s influence would extend down to nearly every major...
Chalking It Up To Experience: Eric Steinberg On David Hume’s Immense Influence on Modern Philosophy
A major force in the fields of empiricism and skepticism, David Hume (1711–1776) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist. He was a key figure in the Scottish Enlightenment, a movement characterized by intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Eric Steinberg is a professor emeritus at Brooklyn College, where he...
Mona Lisa Men Have Named Her: Dianne Hales on the “Ordinary” Renaissance Woman Who Continues to Spark “Extraordinary Interest”
Believed to be the model for Leonardo da Vinci’s (1452–1519) “Mona Lisa,” Lisa Gherardini (1479–1542) was the wife of a Florentine silk merchant. The oil painting—considered to be Leonardo’s greatest masterpiece—is hanging in the Louvre museum in Paris. Dianne Hales is an award-winning freelance journalist and author of several...
Not Defying Gravity: John Moffat on Albert Einstein’s Centenary Theory and Beyond
Albert Einstein (1879–1955) remains to this day among the most famous and influential physicists, who developed the general theory of relativity, changing our understanding of light, gravity, and time.
Electrifying Inventions: Michael Pravica on Why Nikola Tesla Was “One of Humanity’s Greatest Heroes”
Serbian-American inventor, engineer, and scientist, Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) made a number of breakthroughs in the production, transmission, and application of electric power. Dr. Michael Pravica is Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a member of HiPSEC (High Pressure and Engineering Center). Simply Charly:...
