Refers to David Hilbert (1862-1943), a German mathematician who made fundamental contributions to many areas of mathematics and mathematical logic. Often appears in mathematical concepts named after him, such as Hilbert space.
German surname meaning 'bright battle' from Old High German 'hild' (battle) + 'beraht' (bright). The mathematical usage stems from David Hilbert's profound influence on 20th-century mathematics, leading to numerous concepts bearing his name.
Hilbert's 23 unsolved problems, presented in 1900, essentially set the mathematical agenda for the entire 20th century - some are still unsolved today! His work laid foundations for modern physics, including Einstein's general relativity, proving that pure mathematics often precedes its practical applications by decades.
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