Charles Babbage (1791-1871) : de l'école algébrique anglaise à la « machine analytique »
Durand-Richard, Marie-José
Mathématiques et Sciences humaines, Tome 120 (1992), p. 5-31 / Harvested from Numdam
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Actuellement de plus en plus honoré par les informaticiens à la recherche d'une paternité pour leurs nouvelles machines, Charles Babbage reste un mathématicien peu connu. Il est pourtant à l'origine d'une École Algébrique Anglaise dont les travaux ont su expliciter les caractéristiques des méthodes opératoires et les imposer comme essentielles à la nouvelle algèbre ; parmi les nouveaux «scientists» d'une Angleterre émergeant de sa révolution industrielle dans les années 1830, Babbage, qui est politiquement proche des Whigs, voire des radicaux, participe au vaste mouvement de réformes qui installe la science au coeur des institutions, même si l'audace incisive de ses interventions l'écarte souvent de positions de pouvoir qu'il ne brigue d'ailleurs pas. Au-delà d'une présentation de l'ensemble de ses activités, c'est leur unité d'inspiration que je tenterai de dégager, et qui résulte de la tension entre ces deux questions fondamentales : quels sont les principes qui en fondent l'opérativité ?

Although Charles Babbage is being curently given increasing recognition by computer scientists seeking a figure-head for their new machines, he does not really stand as a renowned mathematician. Nevertheless, he initiated an English Algebraic School which outlined the main features of operative methods and carried them as essentiel for the new trends of algebra. Babbage, as one of the new “scientists” of an England emerging from its industrial revolution in the 1830's, with political leanings towards the Whigs, and even the Radicals, was active in the vast movement of reforms which established science as central among the institutions. But the audacity of his endeavours prevented him from acquiring positions of power to which he in fact made no claim. I entend to give a comprehensive view of his work, but also show that all it is deeply rooted in two fundamental questions : What are the ways of invention in mathematics ? What are the principles which govern its operativity ?

Publié le : 1992-01-01
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Durand-Richard, Marie-José. Charles Babbage (1791-1871) : de l'école algébrique anglaise à la « machine analytique ». Mathématiques et Sciences humaines, Tome 120 (1992) pp. 5-31. http://gdmltest.u-ga.fr/item/MSH_1992__118__5_0/

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