 |
Karl PearsonEnglish scientist, creator of mathematical statistics.
Date of Birth: 27.03.1857
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Karl Pearson
Karl Pearson was an English scientist and the creator of mathematical statistics. In 1911, he founded the world's first university department of statistics at University College London. He was actively involved in the study of eugenics and is known as a protégé and biographer of Francis Galton.
Early Life and Education
Karl Pearson was born into the family of William Pearson and Fanny Smith. His father, William, was a successful lawyer and member of the Queen's Counsel, while his mother came from a family of sailors. In 1897, Pearson enrolled at the University of Heidelberg and changed his name from 'Carl' to 'Karl'. He spent a significant part of the 1880s in Berlin, Heidelberg, Vienna, and Brixlegg, where he studied history and Germanic studies. Pearson also had a keen interest in religion and poetry, studying both Goethe and the Bible. He founded the Men and Women's Club, a group dedicated to discussing gender issues.
Marriage and Family
In 1890, Karl married Maria Sharpe, who came from a well-known London family of nonconformists. Through his wife, Pearson was related to poet Samuel Rogers, lawyer Sutton Sharpe, Egyptologist and philanthropist Samuel Sharpe, and church minister John Kenrick. Karl and Maria had three children together: daughters Sigrid Loetitia Pearson and Helga Sharpe Pearson, and son Egon Sharpe Pearson. Egon later followed in his father's footsteps and became involved in proving the Neyman-Pearson lemma.
Scientific Career
After completing his education at University College London, Pearson moved to Cambridge, where he focused on studying mathematics. He also studied physics and metaphysics at the University of Heidelberg and Darwin's theory at the University of Berlin during his time in Germany. Pearson's interests extended to Roman law, medieval literature, and socialist theory. Upon returning to England, he briefly studied engineering in Cambridge.
In his first book, "The New Werther," Pearson admitted that he was overwhelmed by the vastness of scientific knowledge at the time. He initially pursued a career in law, following in his father's footsteps, but soon found himself drawn back to mathematics. In 1889, Pearson met zoologist Walter Frank Raphael Weldon, who needed assistance with quantitative methods. Their collaboration proved to be highly fruitful until Weldon's death. It was through Weldon that Pearson was introduced to Francis Galton, which sparked his intense interest in eugenics and heredity.
Pearson continued his scientific pursuits until his death, even after retiring. He passed away in 1936, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering figure in the field of mathematical statistics.
