Biography of Jean Le Rond d'Alembert

Lighting up the arts and Sciences

16 November 1717
29 October 1783
Jean Le Rond d'Alembert was born on 16 November 1717 in Paris by the relationship between the Marquise De Tencin and the French General Louis Camus Destouches. When the child is born, the father is not in Paris, because party abroad. A few days after birth, the mother abandons him on the steps of the Church Saint Jean Le Rond de Paris from which it takes its name. Jean Baptiste is brought to an orphanage, but soon finds a family that adopts him. The stepfather is a Glazier and, with his wife, shall be responsible for the boy's education thanks to the annuity given to him by the father in secret. At the age of twelve, his family members will join in the "Collège des Quatre-Nations", founded by Cardinal Jules Mazarin. During his studies Jean Baptiste is dedicated to the study of fine arts, law, philosophy, theology and mathematics, being passionate in particular thereof.
In 1735, at the age of eighteen, gets the Bachelor's degree from the Faculté des arts. Four years later sends a letter to the Académie des Sciences in which it communicates that he found mistakes in "l'analyse démontrée", a classic book that even he knows, because he was useful for studies of mathematics. The following year he wrote "Mémoire sur réfraction des corps solides", the result of his important study on fluid mechanics. This work is best known for the enunciation of the paradox of D'alembert and for the explanation of the principle of refraction. In 1741 Jean Baptiste, at the age of twenty-four, he joined the French Academy of Sciences through the development of its work. From 1743 to 1751 publishes the following works: "Discours préliminaire", made at the direction de l'encyclopedie with Denis Diderot and other articles about physics and mathematics.
Also at this time the famous mathematician processes "Le Traité de dinamique" that describe the famous theorem of d'Alembert, who later became known as Gauss-D ' Alembert. During those years he also wrote other works including the "Traité de l ' équilibre et du mouvement des fluides" which analyzes the development of hydrodynamics, "Théorie générale des vents" and the "Recherches sur la precession des équinoxes et sur la nutation de la terre", where is astronomical topics. In 1754 he became a member of the French Academy and of the Academy of Berlin at the age of twenty-eight years. King Frederick of Prussia proposed as President of the German Academy, but Jean Baptiste declines because it is not considered worthy of the assignment and not to provoke controversy in France if he had made that decision. Attends the most important Parisian Salons, such as the Marquise Thérèse Rodet Geoffrin, who at his death will leave a legacy of 1275 francs, mademoiselle Julie de Lespinasse to which will be linked by a tender friendship until she and the marquise du Deffand. Also receives an important proposal made by Catherine of Russia, asking the famous intellectual of educating the Grand Duke Paul. Jean Baptiste rejects even this flattering offer.
During his life he devoted himself to the study of philosophy and literature, performing other works like "Mélanges de littérature, de philosophie et d'Histoire", "Réflexions sur la poésie et sur l'Histoire" and "Praise", a work dedicated to many famous guests such as Montesquieu, Bossuet, Fontenelle and Marivaux. In addition to the philosophy he devoted himself to the study of music, creating the famous text "Ėléments de la musique". In 1759 processes another important work, "Éléments de philosophie", drawing inspiration from the empirical elements contained in the philosophy of Francis Bacon and John Locke. Then writes the important article Géneve which is widely criticized by Jean Jacques Rousseau in "Lettre à d'Alembert sur les spectacles", which d'Alembert responds with another letter. Thanks to this letter of reply, l'encyclopedie can continue its activities temporarily suspended by the State Council after the release of the second volume. In this same year leaves the project of Encyclopedie due to misunderstandings with his colleague Denis Diderot. He's a great friend of Joseph-Louis Lagrange and François Marie Arouet French literary world known under the pseudonym Voltaire. Later he writes his autobiography known as portrait of the author by himself wrote.
In 1765 leaves his family to move in with his great friend Julie Lespinasse and writes the work "Histoire de la destruction des Jésuites". His role within the French Academy grows in 1772 he became Secretary to life. In the following years made with Jean-François Marmontel the fifth edition of the "Dictionary". In his life he never enjoyed good health. Jean Le Rond d'Alembert dies on 29 October 1783 bladder due to an illness. His body is buried in a mass grave without a headstone, because in his life was a non-believer.
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