In the history of technology, Stephen Cole Kleene is one of the names that keeps returning.
The record lists Stephen Cole Kleene as American mathematician and theoretical computer scientist (1909–1994).
Stephen Cole Kleene was born at Hartford in 1909. His recorded nationality is the United States. He was educated at Princeton University and Amherst College.
Around the turn of the twentieth century, national institutions, mass media and mass politics changed both the scale of a career and its risks.
He worked as mathematician, computer scientist and philosopher.
His affiliations include University of Wisconsin–Madison, Princeton University and Amherst College.
Among his principal works are Kleene–Brouwer order, Kleene–Rosser paradox and Kleene's O. Technology is judged by adoption: an invention nobody uses is a curiosity.
His recorded fields of work are theoretical computer science and theory of computation.
Recognition followed: National Medal of Science (1990).
That the work was done from the United States matters. Opportunity has never been evenly distributed, and where a person is based shapes which doors open and whose work gets seen.
Stephen Cole Kleene died in 1994, aged 85. What survives is the work, which is the only durable form of a reputation.
Achievements
- National Medal of Science — 1990
- Notable work: Kleene–Brouwer order
- Notable work: Kleene–Rosser paradox
- Notable work: Kleene's O
- Notable work: Church–Kleene ordinal
- Affiliated with University of Wisconsin–Madison, Princeton University and Amherst College
- Educated at Princeton University and Amherst College
- Worked as mathematician, computer scientist and philosopher
