Background
CONDORCET, Marie Jean Antoine Nicolas Caritat, Marquis de was born in 1743 in Ribemont, Picardy, France.
CONDORCET, Marie Jean Antoine Nicolas Caritat, Marquis de was born in 1743 in Ribemont, Picardy, France.
Distinguished as a writer, administrator and politician, he sought to combine mathematics and philosophy in his writings. Thus he applied the calculus of probabilities to social phenomena, including voting patterns. His social philosophy was one of progress, based on a programme of public education.
His works include statistical descriptions of different societies and economic analysis, which moved somewhat beyond physiocratic theories to absorb current concepts of collective welfare.
His association with the Girondins in the Convention directly led to his death in prison. His application of mathematics to social and economic questions was later taken up by Poisson and Cournot.
Assistant Secretary, French Académie des Siences, 1769. Inspecteur des Monnaies, 1774.