Ernst Mach

Pioneering physicist and philosopher who shaped modern science and logic.

Chronology: 1838-02-18 – 1916-02-19

Origins & Early Life

Ernst Waldfried Josef Wenzel Mach ( MAHK; Austrian German: [ˈɛrnst ˈmax] ; 18 February 1838 – 19 February 1916) was an Austrian physicist and philosopher who contributed to the understanding of the physics of shock waves. The ratio of the speed of a flow or object to that of sound is named the Mach number in his honor. As a philosopher of science, he was a major influence on logical positivism and American pragmatism. Through his criticism of Isaac Newton's theories of space and time, he foreshadowed Albert Einstein's theory of relativity.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

(Riegler, 2012, pp. 235–256). == Biography == === Early life === Mach was born in Chrlice (German: Chirlitz), Moravia, Austrian Empire (now part of Brno in the Czech Republic). His father Jan Nepomuk Mach, who had graduated from Charles-Ferdinand University in Prague, acted as tutor to the noble Brethon family in Zlín in eastern Moravia. His grandfather Wenzl Lanhaus, an administrator of the Chirlitz estate, was also master builder of the streets there.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

His activities in that field later influenced Ernst Mach's theoretical work. Some sources give Mach's birthplace as Tuřany (German: Turas, also part of Brno), the site of the Chirlitz registry office...

Source: Wikipedia