Art, obsession, and identity
The names of history's intellectual champions are well known but usually reserved for one particular study or advancement. Many of the world's greatest minds, however, didn't just dedicate their lives to one focus or issue. From classic Renaissance men like Leonardo da Vinci to lesser-known but equally prodigious polymaths such as Shen Kuo, there is a long list of thinkers who explored just about everything.
Curious? Read on to learn about some of history's greatest polymaths.
Defining a polymath is a lot simpler than being one. Really, all "polymath" means is a person with a wide-reaching knowledge that encompasses numerous specialties. More than a "jack of all trades and a master of none," polymaths aren't only knowledgeable but extremely skilled in most if not all of their various fields.
Leonardo da Vinci is the epitome of a polymath, and likely the inspiration for the term "Renaissance man." It's hard to say what da Vinci was most famous for, or most skilled at. Not only did he paint the iconic works of art 'The Last Supper' and the 'Mona Lisa,' he made incredible advances in anatomy and mapped out the first accurate depiction of the human spine. What's more, his workshop was filled with blueprints and stereotypes for all sorts of tools, robots, and even flying machines.
Another icon of the Italian Renaissance was Galileo Galilei. Not only did he invent the world's first refracting telescope and shape the study of astronomy as we know it today, but he also made incredible advances in the field of physics, ultimately laying the groundwork for Isaac Newton's laws of gravity. Galileo's incredibly vast scientific mind eventually got him accused of heresy for explaining what the Church had previously thought of as ineffable acts of God.
Isaac Newton is undoubtedly one of the most important physicists in history. Newton's primary claim to fame is the accurate discovery of the laws of gravity, but the Englishman also invented calculus and was even a prominent alchemist at one time.
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most famous figures in United States history. Not only did he help draft the Declaration of Independence, a feat which helped land his likeness on the face of the US$100 bill, he was also an immensely important publisher and inventor. He is credited with the discovery of electricity, a development which came out of his infamous act of flying a kite with a key attached in a storm.
Albert Einstein wasn't just the genius physicist who penned the theory of relativity. He also irreversibly changed our understanding of the universe with his famous E=mc² equation and was an active political figure who effectively and emotionally spoke out against human rights abuses and the spread of fascism.
Nicola Tesla changed the course of the world many times over. He was the first person to theorize the possibility of wireless energy transfer through his study of electromagnetic wavelengths, and he also pioneered the use of X-rays.
Born in France at the end of the 16th century, René Descartes is known today as the father of modern philosophy, but he was also instrumental in the development of math and physics. With his marriage of algebra and geometry, Descartes formed the groundwork for Newton's invention of calculus.
Charles Darwin was a well-known and immensely accomplished polymath. Recognized primarily for his work in biology and the creation of his theory of evolution, Darwin was also a passionate botanist and geologist.
Commonly known as the father of empiricism, Englishman Francis Bacon accomplished much more than scientific philosophy in his time. Other than being one of the principal figures of the Scientific Revolution, Bacon was a prominent member of Parliament and, according to some theories, even penned the plays attributed to William Shakespeare.
Ada Lovelace was an immensely prolific and impressive polymath from 19th-century London. Coincidentally the daughter of famed poet Lord Byron, she was instrumental in the development of computational algorithms and penned numerous scholarly articles on mathematics and algorithms.
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was a polymath in perhaps the most extreme sense. Not only was he one of the greatest rulers of the most famous civilization in history, he also proved himself to be one of the greatest philosophers of the classical world. The emperor's 'Meditations' is still considered to this day one of the most important philosophical works in the world.
Greek polymath Archimedes was born in 287 BCE, and went on to change the ancient world's understanding of mathematics as well as physics. He was also an accomplished inventor, developing a number of hydraulic screws and compound pulleys that made construction and the movement of large objects easier than ever before.
Born into slavery, George Washington Carver went on to become one of the most influential figures in American history. Commonly known for his invention of peanut butter, Carver also made essential advancements in horticulture, championing the cause of crop rotation and soil conservation.
Hailing from England, Michael Faraday was a central figure in the study of electricity and was also an accomplished chemist and inventor. We have Faraday to thank for the eventual advent of motors and generators, as well as the discovery of benzene and the laws of electrolysis.
The legacy of Montessori schools is known around the world, but the woman behind them is less commonly celebrated. The Italian polymath was not only a revolutionary educator but also a dedicated physician, and championed the study of scientific pedagogy.
Perhaps the most prolific polymath of the classical world was Shen Kuo. Born in China in 1031 CE, Kuo is said to have made indispensable contributions to more than 30 fields of study. At once a prominent statesman, a botanist, and an expert of timekeeping and optics, Shen Kuo remains one of the most celebrated figures in Chinese history.
Hypatia of Alexandria was born in the then-Byzantine city sometime in the 4th century CE and was one of the most prominent scientists, mathematicians, and philosophers of her time. During her life, Hypatia championed Neoplatonist philosophy and wrote countless commentaries on early mathematics.
Philosopher, naturalist, and mathematician Émilie du Châtelet was born in Paris on December 17, 1706. Her posthumously published translation and commentary of Isaac Newton's work stands as a crowning achievement amongst various other accomplishments.
Swiss 18th-century mathematician, astronomer, and physicist Leonard Euler pioneered the mathematical fields of graph theory and geometric topology. In the field of astronomy, Euler was able to calculate the orbits of celestial objects with staggering accuracy.
Born in the present-day Czech Republic, monk, scientist, and all-around polymath Gregor Mendel dedicated his life not only to the Rule of Saint Augustine but also to the study of plants. Today, Mendel is known less as an Augustinian friar and more commonly as the father of genetics.
Mathematician and all-around polymath John von Neumann is commonly considered to be one of the most versatile mathematicians of all time. Neumann was a crucial contributor to the theoretical and applied practices of numerous studies, including matrix theory, computing, and statistics.
German polymath Hermann Hesse is perhaps best known as an author, his body of work includes 'Demian,' 'Steppenwolf,' 'Siddhartha,' and 'The Glass Bead Game.' Hesse was also an accomplished poet and painter, and dedicated significant parts of his life to the fight against fascism in Europe.
Mikhail Lomonosov was one of the most influential scientists of 18th-century Russia, and helped lay the groundwork for the field of geology when he disproved popular pseudoscientific beliefs surrounding the nature of combustible metals and proved the organic origins of over 3,000 soils, minerals, and metals.
The brilliant and multifaceted Lomonosov was also an accomplished poet and is credited with helping develop the modern tradition of Russian literature, which remains so highly respected to this day.
Bengali polymath Jagadish Chandra Bose was intimately involved in sciences both real and fictional. Primarily a writer known as the father of Bengali sci-fi, Bose also studied radio waves at Cambridge and even invented an immensely important botany tool known as the crescograph, which is used to monitor plant growth.
One of the most prominent thinkers of the Islamic Golden Age, Abu Bakr al-Razi was a philosopher, physician, and educator from the 9th century CE.
Al-Razi's advancements in medicine have made him one of the most important figures in the history of the field. Apart from his developments of safe and effective surgeries and the first proper distinctions between conditions such as smallpox and measles, al-Razi also helped the fields of grammar and astronomy.
Sources: (Explore the Archive) (DIY Genius)
History's most impressive polymaths
The greatest multi-talented geniuses to walk the Earth
LIFESTYLE Genius
The names of history's intellectual champions are well known but usually reserved for one particular study or advancement. Many of the world's greatest minds, however, didn't just dedicate their lives to one focus or issue. From classic Renaissance men like Leonardo da Vinci to lesser-known but equally prodigious polymaths such as Shen Kuo, there is a long list of thinkers who explored just about everything.
Curious? Read on to learn about some of history's greatest polymaths.