Henry M. Sheffer

Henry Maurice Sheffer (* 1882 in the Ukraine, † 1964) was an American logician.

Life

Sheffer was born in the Ukraine, the son of Polish Jews. In 1892 he emigrated with his parents and six brothers and sisters in the United States. After graduating from the Boston Latin School, he studied at Harvard University, among other logic in Josiah Royce. In 1907 he received his master's degree, in 1908 he received a PhD in philosophy. From 1916 until his retirement in 1952, Sheffer Professor at the Faculty of Harvard.

Work

Sheffer published very little. His writings were only intended for his students, his lectures were only listen to his students; Guests, he referred always in the room, even if it was prominent personalities. In his most important publication ( see references ) coined the term Boolean algebra, and proved that they can be defined by a single operator (NAND or NOR). Similarly, the propositional logic can be formulated with a single connective, the Sheffer stroke, the same truth table as that of the logical NAND. Charles S. Peirce had discovered these facts in 1880, but the corresponding essay was not published until 1933. To Sheffers famous Susanne K. Langer students heard.