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Article: Euler, Leonhard (1707–1783)
- Article from:
- Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World
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EULER, LEONHARD (1707
–
1783)
EULER, LEONHARD
(1707
–
1783), the most prominent and productive mathematician of the Enlightenment, who laid the foundations for numerous new fields. Born in Basel to a Protestant minister and the daughter of another, Euler was destined for the clergy. His propensity for mathematics appeared early, however, and when he entered the University of Basel at the age of thirteen, he studied under the noted mathematician Johann I Bernoulli (1667
–
1748). He received his master's degree in philosophy in 1723 and joined the department of theology.
From the beginning, however, Euler worked hard to secure a position as a professional mathematician. ...