Ogura Kinnosuke - Ogura Kinnosuke

Mathematician. Born to a shipping wholesaler in Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture. Graduated from Tokyo Physics School (now Tokyo University of Science) in 1905 (Meiji 38). After that, he studied mathematics on his own while working in the family business in his hometown, and in 1911 became an assistant professor at Tohoku Imperial University. In 1917 (Taisho 6), he moved to Osaka and became a researcher at the Shiomi Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, and later its director. In 1937 (Showa 12), he left the institute and moved to Tokyo, where he devoted himself to writing. He was chairman of the Tokyo Physics School from 1940 to 1943. After World War II, he served as president of the Association of Democratic Scientists, the Japanese Society for the History of Science, and other institutions.

His early research was related to mathematics, and he is particularly known for his papers on the boundary between physics and mathematics. In his middle period, he produced much work on mathematics education and practical mathematics, and works such as "Fundamental Problems in Mathematical Education" (1924) and "Statistical Research Methods" (1925) had a major impact on other researchers and educators. In his later years, he focused on the history of mathematics, and his papers on this subject, compiled in the first and second volumes of "Studies in the History of Mathematics" (1935 and 1948), are well known. Other important works include his translation of "History of Elementary Mathematics" (1928) and "History of Mathematical Education" (1932).

[Shinichi Oya]

"Portrait of a Mathematician" by Ogura Kinnosuke (1956, Shakai Shisosha) " "Memoirs of a Mathematician" by Ogura Kinnosuke (1967, Chikuma Shobo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

数学者。山形県酒田の回漕(かいそう)問屋の家に生まれる。1905年（明治38）東京物理学校（現、東京理科大学）を卒業。その後、郷里で家業に従うかたわら数学を独習し、1911年東北帝国大学の助手となった。1917年（大正6）大阪に移り、塩見理化学研究所の研究員、のちその所長となった。1937年（昭和12）研究所を辞し、東京に移り、著作に専念した。1940～1943年東京物理学校理事長。第二次世界大戦後は民主主義科学者協会、日本科学史学会などの会長を務めた。

　初期の研究は数学に関するものであり、とくに物理と数学との境界領域における諸論文が知られている。中期は数学教育と実用数学についての仕事が多く、『数学教育の根本問題』（1924）、『統計的研究法』（1925）などが他の研究者、教育者に与えた影響は大きい。後期は数学史に関する仕事が中心となり、それについての論文をまとめた『数学史研究』第1集（1935）、同第2集（1948）はよく知られている。これらのほか『カジョリ初等数学史』の翻訳（1928）や『数学教育史』（1932）なども重要な業績である。

［大矢真一］

『小倉金之助著『一数学者の肖像』（1956・社会思想社）』▽『小倉金之助著『一数学者の回想』（1967・筑摩書房）』

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