Roger L. Emerson
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780748625963
- eISBN:
- 9780748653652
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748625963.003.0012
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Scottish Studies
This chapter discusses the Arts chairs in mathematics, astronomy, Greek, the regencies, and the professorships of philosophy. It considers the later appointments to chairs from which were taught the ...
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This chapter discusses the Arts chairs in mathematics, astronomy, Greek, the regencies, and the professorships of philosophy. It considers the later appointments to chairs from which were taught the subjects of the core curriculum other than Latin. It observes that most is known about the mathematics appointments, which were always made with an eye to the competence of the appointees. It reports that the first of the men appointed to the new chair in 1674 was said to have been partially picked by Sir Andrew Balfour, a virtuoso who, with Sir Robert Sibbald, is regarded as one of the founders of the Botanical Garden in Edinburgh. It reports that Balfour had a principal hand in procuring the Mathematical Chair for Mr James Gregory, the celebrated inventor of the reflecting telescope.Less
This chapter discusses the Arts chairs in mathematics, astronomy, Greek, the regencies, and the professorships of philosophy. It considers the later appointments to chairs from which were taught the subjects of the core curriculum other than Latin. It observes that most is known about the mathematics appointments, which were always made with an eye to the competence of the appointees. It reports that the first of the men appointed to the new chair in 1674 was said to have been partially picked by Sir Andrew Balfour, a virtuoso who, with Sir Robert Sibbald, is regarded as one of the founders of the Botanical Garden in Edinburgh. It reports that Balfour had a principal hand in procuring the Mathematical Chair for Mr James Gregory, the celebrated inventor of the reflecting telescope.
