The two envelopes problem, a classic paradox concerning probability and rational decision-making, traces its origins to the 1953 publication of La mathématique des jeux by Belgian mathematician Maurice Kraitchik. Through this puzzle, he highlighted a logical contradiction where two players might both erroneously conclude a fair game is mathematically favorable to their own financial interest.
Early Life and Academic Foundations
Born in Minsk in 1882 to a Jewish family, Maurice Borisovich Kraitchik eventually established his professional life in Belgium. His academic credentials included the status of agrégé at the Free University of Brussels. He also served as the director of the Institut des Hautes Études de Belgique, balancing his theoretical work with practical applications of mathematics.
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Kraitchik worked as an engineer for the Société Financière de Transports et d'Entreprises Industrielles, commonly known as Sofina. Between 1931 and 1939, he held a director position within the organization. During this same period, he edited Sphinx, a specialized periodical dedicated to the field of recreational mathematics, which allowed him to disseminate complex concepts to a broader audience.
Contributions to Mathematical Literature
His bibliography consists of several works spanning number theory and mathematical games. Key publications include Théorie des Nombres (1922) and Recherches sur la théorie des nombres (1924). In 1930, he published La mathématique des jeux ou Récréations mathématiques. Following his emigration to the United States during World War II, he taught a course at the New School for Social Research in New York City, subsequently publishing Mathematical Recreations in 1942 and Alignment Charts in 1944.
Final Years
Following the war, Kraitchik continued his writing on number theory. He eventually returned to the Brussels metropolitan area, where he died in 1957 at the age of 75. His influence persists through the logical inquiries he posed in his recreational texts, which continue to serve as a subject of study in probability theory and foundations.
Fast facts
- Born: 1882, Minsk
- Died: 1957, Brussels metropolitan area
- Nationality: Belgium
- Primary Fields: Number theory, recreational mathematics
- Employer: Sofina (1931-1939)
- Published: Mathematical Recreations (1942)
- Academic Affiliation: Free University of Brussels
- Notable Contribution: Two envelopes problem (1953)
Questions readers ask
What was the focus of the periodical Sphinx?
Sphinx was a periodical devoted to the field of recreational mathematics, edited by Kraitchik from 1931 to 1939.
Where did Kraitchik teach during World War II?
He taught a course on mathematical recreations at the New School for Social Research in New York City.
Achievements
- Held posts at Sofina
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