1911 – 2008
John Archibald Wheeler (1911–2008) was an American theoretical physicist whose work bridged physics and philosophy of science. He coined the term 'black hole,' developed the Wheeler-DeWitt equation with Bryce DeWitt, and advanced the participatory universe thesis — the idea that observers play a constitutive role in bringing physical reality into being. His 'it from bit' doctrine proposed that information is the fundamental substrate of the universe.
Coined the term 'black hole' and pioneered its theoretical study
Developed the Wheeler-DeWitt equation, a foundational equation of quantum gravity
Proposed the 'it from bit' doctrine: information as the basis of physical reality
Advanced the participatory anthropic principle and observer-dependent cosmology
Collaborated with Niels Bohr on the liquid-drop model of nuclear fission