Fathers or mothers of a field are men and women who were significant figures in creating or innovating in field.

For example Alan Turing is the father of computer science, Ada Lovelace is the mother of computer programming, Adam Smith is the father of economics, and Frank Zappa is the father of the Mothers of Invention (joke).

See an awesome list from Wikipedia, or see our collection of fathers and mothers below.


Factoids tagged with "Fathers or Mothers of a Field"

Frank Zappa Coined the Term “Groupie” Fact

Frank Zappa claimed to have coined the term “groupie” to describe “women who followed rock groups.” Although we can’t prove he was the first to use the term, we can prove he was at least one of the first.

The Founding Fathers Supported Slavery Myth

Slavery was legal when America was founded, but few founding fathers fully supported the nefarious institution. In fact, many founders fought to limit and abolish slavery.

John Locke is the Father of Liberalism Fact

John Locke can be considered the father of liberalism. His theories on life, liberty, property, consent, and the social contract form the foundation of classical liberalism.

Charles Babbage is the Father of the Computer Fact

Charles Babbage can be considered “the father of the computer” as he invented the first mechanical computer (the Difference Engine 1822) and ”the first general-purpose computer” (the Analytical Engine 1837).

Nature Abhors a Vacuum Fact

Aristotle once postulated “horror vacui” (Nature Abhors a Vacuum). It turns out nature really can’t stand a perfect vacuum.

Machines Can Think Fact

Whether or not machines can think, depends on our definition of “think.” Generally we can say, machines can think, but they think differently than humans.

Ramanujan Had no Formal Training Fact

Srinivasa Ramanujan had no formal mathematics training in his early years. He did his research in isolation, rediscovering old theorems and producing new ones.

Sir Isaac Newton Was an Economist Fact

Sir Isaac Newton is best known for his laws of motion and gravity, but he was also an economist of sorts serving as Britain’s Warden/Master of the Mint (from 1696 until his death in 1727).

Benoît Mandelbrot Coined the Term “Fractal” Fact

Benoît Mandelbrot coined the term “fractal” in 1975 to describe the naturally occurring, never-ending, infinitely complex, [often] self-similar, geometric patterns, which look “fractured” or “broken.”

Lincoln was a Republican Fact

Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican President. Lincoln, a former Whig (and then “moderate” “anti-slavery” Republican), favored social justice and federal power over states’ rights regarding slavery.

Brian Eno Invented Ambient Music Myth

Brian Eno didn’t invent ambient music, but he did coin the term and popularize the genre drawing from underground experimental music and the work of Erik Satie.

The Sensorama Was the First VR Device Fact

The Sensorama (1962) can be considered the first Virtual Reality device, it was a head-mounted display that played 3D film accompanied by sound, moving air, and aromas to create a virtual sensory environment.

Ada Lovelace Wrote the First Computer Program Myth

British mathematician Ada Lovelace can be considered the mother of computer programing, as she wrote the first complex algorithm meant to be carried out by a machine. However, it is a myth that Ada Lovelace wrote “the first computer program” or was “the first computer programmer”, that title belongs to Charles Babbage.

René Descartes Slept in an Oven Myth

René Descartes didn’t sleep in an oven, but he did invent analytical geometry while sleeping in a room with an oven (likely a masonry heater).

Blog Posts tagged with "Fathers or Mothers of a Field"

The Birth of Modern Banking

Modern banking originated in Italy around 1150 as Jews fleeing persecution brought new practices, including “discounting”, to the merchant banks of the Italian piazzas.

Federalists and Anti-Federalists Explained

The Federalists and Anti-Federalists were the first political factions of the U.S.. They arose out of a debate over the ratification of the 1787 Constitution and went on to form the basis of our current two-party system.

The Origin of the Political Terms Left and Right

The modern usage of the political terms left and right comes from the French Revolution of 1789 when supporters of the king stood to the president’s right, and supporters of the revolution to his left.

What is “the Invisible Hand”?

“The invisible hand” is a term used by Adam Smith to describe the theory that self-interest leads to social and economic benefits in a free-market.

American Politics Explained

A simple explanation of American politics including an overview of US history, the political parties, and the political system.