5 Things You Don't Know About John Venn

John Venn belonged to an era when being a philosopher was a risky job. The likes of him weren't drafted into battles, which were prevalent in Europe back then. But it doesn't mean that a scholarly existence was dull.

Nineteenth century was ruled by tradition. Anything beyond conventional may be seen as treason. Philosophers couldn't helped it, as they were inspired by the time. The belief that the Earth wasn't flat was first surmised by Socrates and his peers, but it was during the Age of Discovery when it was given serious thought. After Portugal found out that there was a whole new world beyond the Cape of Good Hope, everyone couldn't stop thinking of exotic lands. Then the renewed interest in ancient Greek culture, followed by the Age of Enlightenment. The last one was an emphasis on reason and individualism, a revolution in human thought. Voltaire was among the pioneers who were driven by a series of events that would make sweeping changes all over the continent. The origin was religious in nature.

It was no surprise that many of these philosophers were once men of faith. The Church had political clout, and during that time of uncertainty, a religious establishment was the place to keep those books and study them. This was John Venn's background.

Venn's claim to fame is the Venn diagram, two overlapping circles use to illustrate logic. It was considered a breakthrough back then, and it would still be relevant despite the advancement of technology. This is reasoning at its simplest. (If the diagram would be used to compare and contrast a dog and a cat, the left circle would list the dog's characteristics, which would differ from the cat's found in the other circle. The area where the two circles overlap represent the common traits between the two.)

So how did Venn came up with this remarkable concept? Some tidbits about his life would give a hint:

1. Venn is born on August 4, 1834. He's a native of Hull, a seaside metropolis which is a channel away from the continent. It is home to some notable artists. Although the logician studied in Cambridge, the city is proud of him. In fact, the University of Hull named one of its buildings after him. He would be honored if he were around.

2. He obtained a degree in mathematics, the same field that Spinoza and the other great philosophers have studied. Pythagoras and the other Greek philosophers have the same interest.

3. Venn descended from a long line of church evangelicals, which included his grandfather, John Venn. But he resigned from the clergy when his philosophical beliefs clashed with his religious vows. He wasn't the first to struggle with conflicting ideas.

4. He became the President of the Gonville and Caius College in Cambridge. This post allowed him to indulge in his passion. (Logic, what else.)

5. The apple didn't fall far from the tree, as Venn's son, John Archibald, became a distinguished academician.

So how about giving another case using the Venn diagram?