Johann Heinrich Lambert
modernGerman Rationalism1728 – 1777
Johann Heinrich Lambert was an 18th-century Swiss polymath who made significant contributions to mathematics, physics, astronomy, and philosophy. He is best known for proving the irrationality of π and for his work on the philosophy of mind and epistemology, including his correspondence with Kant on metaphysical method.
Notable Achievements
1
Proved the irrationality of π (1761)
2
Authored 'Neues Organon' (1764), a major work on logic and epistemology
3
Developed foundational work in photometry and the Beer-Lambert law
4
Corresponded with Kant on metaphysics and the method of philosophy
5
Pioneered non-Euclidean geometry through his work on parallel lines