Michael Stifel
modernRenaissance Mathematics and Lutheran Theology1487 – 1567
Michael Stifel (c. 1487–1567) was a German mathematician and Protestant theologian, an early Augustinian monk who became a close associate of Martin Luther. He is best known for his 1544 work Arithmetica Integra, which advanced algebraic notation, treated negative numbers as legitimate, and pioneered the use of logarithms before Napier.
Notable Achievements
1
Published Arithmetica Integra (1544), a foundational work in early modern algebra
2
Pioneered early logarithmic ideas by relating arithmetic and geometric progressions
3
Advanced the systematic use of negative numbers and exponents in algebra
4
Introduced improvements to algebraic notation that influenced later mathematicians
5
Associated with Martin Luther and contributed to Reformation-era biblical numerology