Wilbur Knorr

Wilbur Richard Knorr (August 29, 1945 – March 18, 1997) was an American historian of mathematics and a professor in the departments of philosophy and classics at Stanford University. He has been called "one of the most profound and certainly the most provocative historian of Greek mathematics" of the 20th century. Knorr was born in Richmond Hill, Queens, New York. He pursued his undergraduate studies at Harvard University and received his Ph.D. there in 1973. After postdoctoral studies at Cambridge University, he taught at Brooklyn College before joining Stanford University in 1979. He was tenured in 1983 and became a full professor in 1990. Knorr died of melanoma in Palo Alto, California, at the age of 51. He was also a talented violinist, having played first violin in the Harvard Orchestra. His scholarly work focused on ancient Greek mathematics, including the theory of incommensurable magnitudes and the history of geometric problems. His major works include "The Evolution of the Euclidean Elements," "Ancient Sources of the Medieval Tradition of Mechanics," "The Ancient Tradition of Geometric Problems," and "Textual Studies in Ancient and Medieval Geometry." His research often involved re-examining classical mathematical texts and challenging established interpretations, making him a provocative figure in his field.