RK

Robert Kanigel

10quotes

Robert Kanigel: A Life of Passionate Pursuit


#### Full Name and Common Aliases
Robert Kanigel is an American author, journalist, and historian best known for his biographical works on science, mathematics, and technology.

#### Birth and Death Dates
Born on August 22, 1946, in New York City, Robert Kanigel's life has been marked by a relentless pursuit of knowledge and storytelling. As this biography will show, his work has had a lasting impact on readers worldwide.

#### Nationality and Profession(s)
American author, journalist, historian

#### Early Life and Background
Growing up in the 1950s and '60s, Kanigel developed a passion for science, mathematics, and technology. His parents, both of Jewish descent, instilled in him a love for learning that would shape his future career. After graduating from Brooklyn's James Madison High School in 1963, he went on to study at Harvard University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

#### Major Accomplishments
Kanigel's writing career spans over four decades and has resulted in numerous critically acclaimed biographies that have shed light on the lives of influential scientists and mathematicians. His notable works include:

_The One Best Way: Frederick Winslow Taylor and the Enigma of Efficiency_ (1997) - a biography of industrial engineer Frederick Winslow Taylor
 _Apprentice to Genius: The Making of a Scientific Dynasty_ (1986) - a study on the lives of physicist J.J. Thomson and his descendants

#### Notable Works or Actions
In addition to his biographical works, Kanigel has written several essays and articles on science, technology, and education for prominent publications such as _The New Yorker_, _Harper's Magazine_, and _The Atlantic Monthly_. His writing often explores the intersection of science, society, and culture.

#### Impact and Legacy
Robert Kanigel's work has not only provided readers with insightful portraits of influential figures but also contributed to a deeper understanding of the historical context in which scientific discoveries were made. By humanizing these stories, he has helped readers connect with the subject matter on a more personal level.

#### Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Kanigel's writing style and dedication to storytelling have earned him recognition within the literary community. His biographies are characterized by meticulous research and engaging narratives that bring complex scientific concepts to life. This commitment to sharing knowledge has made his works widely quoted and remembered, particularly among those interested in science, history, and education.

With a career spanning over four decades, Robert Kanigel's legacy is one of dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. His biographies continue to inspire new generations of readers and writers alike, solidifying his place as a renowned author and historian.

Quotes by Robert Kanigel

Plenty of mathematicians, Hardy knew, could follow a step-by-step discursus unflaggingly – yet counted for nothing beside Ramanujan. Years later, he would contrive an informal scale of natural mathematical ability on which he assigned himself a 25 and Littlewood a 30. To David Hilbert, the most eminent mathematician of the day, he assigned an 80. To Ramanujan he gave 100.
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Plenty of mathematicians, Hardy knew, could follow a step-by-step discursus unflaggingly – yet counted for nothing beside Ramanujan. Years later, he would contrive an informal scale of natural mathematical ability on which he assigned himself a 25 and Littlewood a 30. To David Hilbert, the most eminent mathematician of the day, he assigned an 80. To Ramanujan he gave 100.
RK
They must be true because, if they were not true, no one would have the imagination to invent them.
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They must be true because, if they were not true, no one would have the imagination to invent them.
RK
Don’t be so easy on yourself, it said.
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Don’t be so easy on yourself, it said.
RK
But what Ramanujan wanted more, more than anything, was simply the freedom to do as he wished, to be left alone to think, to dream, to create, to lose himself in a world of his own making.
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But what Ramanujan wanted more, more than anything, was simply the freedom to do as he wished, to be left alone to think, to dream, to create, to lose himself in a world of his own making.
RK
He received no guidance, no stimulation, no money beyond the few rupees he made from tutoring. But for all the economic deadweight he represented, his family apparently discouraged him little- not enough, in any case, to stop him.
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He received no guidance, no stimulation, no money beyond the few rupees he made from tutoring. But for all the economic deadweight he represented, his family apparently discouraged him little- not enough, in any case, to stop him.
RK
#struggles-in-life
His academic failure forced him to develop unconventionally, free of the social straightjacket that might have constrained his progress to well-worn paths.
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His academic failure forced him to develop unconventionally, free of the social straightjacket that might have constrained his progress to well-worn paths.
RK
#failure #unconventional
Ramanujan had lost all his scholarships. He had failed in school. Even as a tutor of the subject he loved most, he'd been found wanting.He had nothing.And yet, viewed a little differently, he had everything. For now there was nothing to distract him from his notebooks- notebooks, crammed with theorems, that each day, each week, bulged wider.
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Ramanujan had lost all his scholarships. He had failed in school. Even as a tutor of the subject he loved most, he'd been found wanting.He had nothing.And yet, viewed a little differently, he had everything. For now there was nothing to distract him from his notebooks- notebooks, crammed with theorems, that each day, each week, bulged wider.
RK
#mathematics #failure
Sometimes in studying Ramanujan's work, [George Andrews] said at another time, "I have wondered how much Ramanujan could have done if he had had MACSYMA or SCRATCHPAD or some other symbolic algebra package.
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Sometimes in studying Ramanujan's work, [George Andrews] said at another time, "I have wondered how much Ramanujan could have done if he had had MACSYMA or SCRATCHPAD or some other symbolic algebra package.
RK
#history #math #algebra
Plenty of mathematicians, Hardy knew, could follow a step-by-step discursus unflaggingly—yet counted for nothing beside Ramanujan. Years later, he would contrive an informal scale of natural mathematical ability on which he assigned himself a 25 and Littlewood a 30. To David Hilbert, the most eminent mathematician of the day, he assigned an 80. To Ramanujan he gave 100.
"
Plenty of mathematicians, Hardy knew, could follow a step-by-step discursus unflaggingly—yet counted for nothing beside Ramanujan. Years later, he would contrive an informal scale of natural mathematical ability on which he assigned himself a 25 and Littlewood a 30. To David Hilbert, the most eminent mathematician of the day, he assigned an 80. To Ramanujan he gave 100.
RK
#science #math #mathematics #mathematicians #hardy
Viewed one way, then, for at least five years between 1904 and 1909, Ramanujan floundered- mostly out of school, without a degree, without contact with other mathematicians. And yet, was the cup half-empty or half-full?
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Viewed one way, then, for at least five years between 1904 and 1909, Ramanujan floundered- mostly out of school, without a degree, without contact with other mathematicians. And yet, was the cup half-empty or half-full?
RK
#perspective #failure #mathematicians