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Galle, Johann Gottfried

(Encyclopedia)Galle, Johann Gottfried yōˈhän gôtˈfrēt gäˈlə [key], 1812–1910, German astronomer. He is noted for his discovery of the planet Neptune, Sept. 23, 1846, by following the guidance of calculat...

Schnabel, Johann Gottfried

(Encyclopedia)Schnabel, Johann Gottfried shnäˈbəl [key], b. 1692, d. after 1742, German author, whose pseudonym was Gisander. He fought in the War of the Spanish Succession. Schnabel's popular novel Die Insel F...

pluralism

(Encyclopedia)pluralism, in philosophy, theory that considers the universe explicable in terms of many principles or composed of many ultimate substances. It describes no particular system and may be embodied in su...

calculator

(Encyclopedia)calculator or calculating machine, device for performing numerical computations; it may be mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic. The electronic computer is also a calculator but performs other...

Schlegel, Friedrich von

(Encyclopedia)Schlegel, Friedrich von fən shlāˈgəl [key], 1772–1829, German philosopher, critic, and writer, most prominent of the founders of German romanticism. Educated in law at Göttingen and Leipzig, h...

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von

(Encyclopedia)Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von yōˈhän vôlfˈgäng fən göˈtə [key], 1749–1832, German poet, dramatist, novelist, and scientist, b. Frankfurt. One of the great masters of world literature, his ge...

Struve

(Encyclopedia)Struve shtro͞oˈvə [key], family of astronomers. Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve, 1793–1864, was born in Germany but later lived in Russia. While director (1817–39) of Dorpat Observatory he w...

Dilthey, Wilhelm

(Encyclopedia)Dilthey, Wilhelm vĭlˈhĕlm dĭlˈtī [key], 1833–1911, German philosopher. He taught at the universities of Basel, Kiel, Breslau, and Berlin. He was one of the first to claim the independence of t...

Cuno, Wilhelm

(Encyclopedia)Cuno, Wilhelm vĭlˈhĕlm ko͞oˈnō [key], 1876–1933, German chancellor (Nov., 1922–Aug., 1923). A businessman, he headed a nonpartisan conservative ministry. His attempt to establish a moratoriu...

Filchner, Wilhelm

(Encyclopedia)Filchner, Wilhelm vĭlˈhĕlm fĭlkhˈnər [key], 1877–1957, German explorer, geophysicist, and travel writer. He led several expeditions to China and Tibet, where he established magnetic stations, ...

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