"Father" of statistics Karl Pearson: how many-sided talents can be

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

Karl Pearson was born March 27, 1857 in London. The father of the future "king of mathematical statistics" was a lawyer, and his son became the most famous English mathematician, biologist and philosopher, as well as one of the founders of biometrics. He is the author of over 650 scientific papers published in various publications. He devoted the lion's share of his work to assessment methods and measurements in the field of psychology.

Ranks

Karl Pearson's biography is a path of continuous learning, painstaking life-long work and complete immersion in science. In 1884 Pearson became professor of applied mathematics and mechanics at University College London. Since 1891, Carl, who was awarded the title of emeritus professor of geometry, worked at Gresham College. From 1903 to 1933 he served as director of the biometric laboratory.

In the laboratory of Francis G alton, where Karl Pearsonstudied the problems of national eugenics, the scientist worked from 1907 to 1933.

He was awarded the title of Professor of Eugenics in 1911, and from 1896 was a Fellow of the Royal Society. In 1898 he received the Darwin Medal of the Royal Society, and in 1903 the Huxley Medal of the Anthropological Institute.

Karl Pearson is inscribed in the history of the University of St. Andrew as an honorary doctor of law, he also bears the title of honorary doctor of science from the University of London. Since 1903 he has been an honorary member of King's College Cambridge. His name is also listed by University College London and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Scientist's Legacy - Publications

Karl Pearson's enormous contribution to statistics is forever imprinted in his works. As mentioned above, more than 650 scientific papers have come from the pen of a scientist, some relate to the history of science and philosophy.

Training

From his youth, Carl had a strong interest in genetics and heredity.

He went to University College London, and after graduation he studied mathematics at Cambridge. This was followed by studies in Germany: in 1897, Karl Pearson was enrolled at the University of Heidelberg, where he learned the basics of physics and metaphysics. At the University of Berlin, he studied Darwin's theory.

At Cambridge University in 1879, the scientist received a bachelor's degree, in 1881 he acquired the title of bachelor of law, in 1882 he became a master.

He tried to apply his efforts in medicine, biology and eugenics, developingand and applying statistical methods. One of the main things in the biography of Karl Pearson was the study of Darwin's theory of evolution, here he collaborated with the philosophers David Hume and Ernst Mach. Karl is considered one of the "fathers" of statistics.

G alton and Weldon

In 1819, Pearson met the famous zoologist W alter Frank Raphael Weldon, who needed qualified help in his work. The collaboration of two minds resulted in a very fruitful union, which ceased due to the death of Weldon.

As a result of this acquaintance, the zoologist introduced Pearson to Francis G alton, after talking with him, Karl became seriously interested in questions of heredity. Carl proposed to formulate the idea of correlation in mathematical form.

As a result of the use of the appeared Pearson correlation coefficient, as well as the developed non-parametric coefficient "d-square", many scientific discoveries were made. Parameters have been used extensively both in psychological research and in the development of statistical methods.

After 1906, which was overshadowed by the death of Weldon, Karl Pearson directed all his energy to the development of statistics.

As a result of cooperation with Weldon and G alton, a respectable Biometrika appeared. The magazine with an odious reputation did not change its editor - Pearson headed the publication until his death, not allowing any articles that contradicted his theory to appear in the magazine.

Evolution - what is it?

Pearson discussed with William Bateson aboutevolutionary theory and attempts to measure it. For Karl, the biometric approach was acceptable: continuous changes, in his opinion, constituted the material for natural selection. Bateson focused on the study of reproduction, according to the scientist, this was the best way to understand the mechanisms of evolution.

Family

Carla's wife Maria Sharpe, whom they married in 1890, came from a famous London nonconformist clan. Thanks to her, Karl acquired useful contacts and intermarried with many prominent people, in particular with the poet Samuel Rogers and the lawyer Sutton Sharp.

Children - daughters Helga and Sigrid Leticia - were not noticed by the scientific world. What can not be said about the son of Egon Sharp Pearson, who followed in the footsteps of his father and tried to prove the Neumann-Pearson lemma.

Interest in everything

If a person is smart and talented, then, as a rule, he is interested in absolutely everything in life, nothing passes him by.

Karl was fond of Roman law and the theory of socialism. The scientist was interested in religion, studied the Holy Scriptures, enthusiastically read Goethe, as he was drawn to poetry and medieval literature. He also actively studied history and German studies - he gravitated towards Germany, and in the eighties of the 19th century he lived in different cities of this country. The scientist was also not left indifferent to gender issues.

Math

In this area, he published fundamental works on statistics (over 400 works belong to him). His name is associated with such concepts:

• multiple regression and Pearson distribution;
• Pearson's goodness-of-fit test and coefficient of variation;
• Pearson's correlation coefficient;
• normal distribution and rank correlation.

Contribution to science

They say that real talent and deep knowledge border on obsession. Having retired, the scientist did not stop working until his death. The invaluable contribution to the mathematical statistics of Karl Pearson, his developments, research, world discoveries are the results of a sharp, outstanding, inquisitive mind, perseverance and perseverance.

He spelled his name as Karl (not Carl), more in the German way, what did he mean by that? It is said that the scientist chose this form of writing the name in honor of Karl Marx (Karl Marx), but this is an unconfirmed theory. One thing can be said with certainty: the distinguishing features of the Germans have always been quality, perseverance, hard work, dedication and the way to the result, no matter what. The great statistician died on April 27, 1936 in Coldharbour, England (Capel, Surrey).