Resumen de The emergence of mathematical physics at the University of Leipzig
Mathematical physics became a prominent discipline at the University of Leipzig due to C. Neumann and K. von der Mühll in the second half of the 19th century. However, this blossom of mathematical physics caused also a delay in the development of theoretical physics. A professorship for theoretical physics was not established until 1894. In the talk I discuss this development as well as Neumann’s views to mathematical and theoretical physics. A comparison of this development with those at other universities reveals interesting differences in the process of establishing theoretical physics in the physics department. Neumann’s opinion about mathematical physics played an important role in the discussion about the characterization of mathematical and theoretical physics.
