Girolamo Cardano
Girolamo Cardano was born on September 24, 1501 in Pavia, Italy, after several failed attempts at abortion by his unmarried mother. He had a very difficult childhood due to the neglect from his parents and several illnesses.
At the age of nineteen Cardano left home to study at the University of Pavia. He finished his doctorate of medicine at the University of Padua in 1526.
Cardano had many professions over the course of his life, including, mathematician, astrologer, philosopher, and gambler. He was famous as a healer, but Girolamo Cardano’s colleagues did not appreciate him. He was rejected several times before being accepted as a doctor. He then wrote a book, entitled On the Bad Practice of Medicine in common use, criticizing the methods most doctors used to heal their patients. This caused a back-lash from the faculty and much pain for Girolamo.
Cardano was known as a gambler, but most agree, was only interested in it because he found it fascinating to calculate the odds. Eventually his interest led to his formation of the mathematical laws of probability. These laws are still used in mathematics today.
Girolamo was a very interesting character. He authored over two hundred different books on a large variety of subjects. He had a hard life, which started with his troubled childhood. His son was executed in 1560 for attempting to poison his pregnant wife. Cardano himself was jailed in 1570 for heresy, for he had "cast the horoscope of Jesus Christ". He also cast his own horoscope, saying he would die on September 21, 1576. Cardano made sure this prediction came true. On September 21, 1576 Cardano took his own life.
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