William Gilbert (physicist)

William Gilbert
William Gilbert
Born24 May 1544
Died30 November 1603(1603-11-30) (aged 59)
London, England
NationalityEnglish
EducationSt John's College, Cambridge (MD, 1569)
Known forStudies of magnetism, De Magnete
Scientific career
FieldsPhysician

William Gilbert (/ˈɡɪlbərt/; 24 May 1544? – 30 November 1603),[1] also known as Gilberd,[2] was an English physician, physicist and natural philosopher. He passionately rejected both the prevailing Aristotelian philosophy and the Scholastic method of university teaching. He is remembered today largely for his book De Magnete (1600).

A unit of magnetomotive force, also known as magnetic potential, was named the Gilbert in his honour; it has now been superseded by the Ampere-turn.

  1. ^ "Gilbert, William (1544?–1603)", Stephen Pumfrey, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/10705
  2. ^ While today he is generally referred to as William Gilbert, he also went under the name of William Gilberd. The latter was used in both his and his father's epitaphs and in the records of the town of Colchester. (Gilbert 1893, p. ix)