Jacob (Jacques) Bernoulli
Born: 27 Dec 1654 in Basel, Switzerland
Died: 16 Aug 1705 in Basel, Switzerland
Jacob Bernoulli's father, Nicolaus Bernoulli
(1623-1708) inherited the spice business in Basel that had been set up by his
own father, first in Amsterdam and then in Basel. The family, of Belgium
origin, were refugees fleeing from persecution by the Spanish rulers of the
Netherlands. Philip, the King of Spain, had sent the Duke of Alba to the
Netherlands in 1567 with a large army to punish those opposed to Spanish rule,
to enforce adherence to Roman Catholicism, and to re-establish Philip's
authority. Alba set up the Council of Troubles which was a court that condemned
over 12000 people but most, like the Bernoulli family who were of the
Protestant faith, fled the country.
Nicolaus Bernoulli was an important citizen of Basel,
being a member of the town council and a magistrate. Jacob Bernoulli's mother
also came from an important Basel family of bankers and local councillors.
Jacob Bernoulli was the brother of
Johann Bernoulli and the uncle of
Daniel Bernoulli. He was compelled to study philosophy and theology by
his parents, which he greatly resented, and he graduated from the University of
Basel with a master's degree in philosophy in 1671 and a licentiate in theology
in 1676.
During the time that Jacob Bernoulli was taking his
university degrees he was studying mathematics and astronomy against the wishes
of his parents. It is worth remarking that this was a typical pattern for many
of the Bernoulli family who made a study of mathematics despite pressure to
make a career in other areas. However Jacob Bernoulli was the first to go down
this road so for him it was rather different in that there was no tradition of
mathematics in the family before Jacob Bernoulli. Later members of the family
must have been much influenced by the tradition of studying mathematics and
mathematical physics.
In 1676, after taking his theology degree, Bernoulli
moved to Geneva where he worked as a tutor. He then travelled to France
spending two years studying with the followers of Descartes who were led at this time by Malebranche. In 1681 Bernoulli travelled to the Netherlands where
he met many mathematicians including
Hudde. Continuing his studies with the leading mathematicians and
scientists of Europe he went to England where, among others, he met Boyle and
Hooke. At this time he was deeply interested in astronomy and produced a
work giving an incorrect theory of comets. As a result of his travels,
Bernoulli began a correspondence with many mathematicians which he carried on
over many years.
Jacob Bernoulli returned to Switzerland and taught
mechanics at the University in Basel from 1683, giving a series of important
lectures on the mechanics of solids and liquids. Since his degree was in
theology it would have been natural for him to turn to the Church, but although
he was offered an appointment in the Church he turned it down. Bernoulli's real
love was for mathematics and theoretical physics and it was in these topics
that he taught and researched. During this period he studied the leading
mathematical works of his time including Descartes's G
