Jacques Alexandre Le Tenneur was a 17th-century French mathematician whose intellectual contributions were largely preserved through his extensive correspondence with figures such as Marin Mersenne, Pierre Hérigone, and Pierre Gassendi. Born in Paris in 1607, he navigated the complex scholarly landscape of his era, engaging in debates concerning physics, geometry, and the nature of physical space.
Engagement with Galilean Physics
Le Tenneur distinguished himself as a defender of Galileo Galilei’s theories during a period of intense controversy. When Honoré Fabri questioned Galileo’s assertions regarding falling bodies in 1646, Mersenne solicited Le Tenneur to provide a counter-argument. Fabri posited that Galileo’s work relied on problematic mathematical instants linked to Zeno's paradoxes. Le Tenneur countered that Fabri’s own theories suffered from the same dependency, arguing that the Galilean model was superior because it did not rely on time measurements. These arguments were formalized in Le Tenneur's significant publication, De motu naturaliter accelerato tractatus physico-mathematicus.
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The scientific discourse of the time regarding the existence of a vacuum frequently clashed with the concept of horror vacui. Following Evangelista Torricelli’s 1644 mercury experiment, skepticism persisted regarding whether a true vacuum could exist. In January 1648, Mersenne requested that Le Tenneur conduct vacuum experiments at higher elevations in Puy-de-Dôme. Le Tenneur declined, citing the belief that elevation would not impact the results. Despite this refusal, he correctly argued against the skepticism of others, noting that if any substance existed in the space above the mercury column, the liquid would have descended further.
Geometry and Mathematical Philosophy
In 1640, Le Tenneur published Traité des quantites incommensurables ou sont decidees plusieurs belles questions des nombres rationaus et irrationaus, l'erreurs de Stevin refutées, le dizieme livre d'Euclide illustre de nouvelles demonstrations. In this work, he advocated for a return to traditional Greek geometric methods, emphasizing the use of the ruler and compass over algebraic approaches to geometry.
Political and Administrative Career
By 1646, Le Tenneur resided in Clermont in the Auvergne region before returning to Paris. By 1651, his professional life moved into the political sphere when he became King Louis XIV's counsellor to the provincial senate of Guyenne, based in Bordeaux. This appointment occurred during the Fronde civil war, suggesting he likely participated in the political complexities of that period.
Fast facts
- Born: 1607, Paris, France
- Died: 1656
- Occupation: Mathematician
- Political role: Counsellor to the provincial senate of Guyenne
- Notable work: De motu naturaliter accelerato tractatus physico-mathematicus
Questions readers ask
What was Le Tenneur's stance on the vacuum?
He maintained that the space created by mercury in a tube was a genuine vacuum, arguing that if it contained substance, the mercury would have fallen.
What approach to geometry did Le Tenneur prefer?
He preferred the traditional Greek methodology involving a ruler and compass rather than the use of algebra.
Achievements
- Fields: mathematician
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