Dodson, James

NAME: Dodson, James

ACHIEVEMENT(S): Published several works on logarithms, and helped

establish the Equitable Society (insurance).

NICKNAME/ALIAS: None

DATE/PLACE OF BIRTH: Unknown, but before 1710

DATE/PLACE/AGE AT DEATH: 1757.  Aged over 47

DISCIPLINE: Mathematician

FIELD: Mathematics

LANGUAGE: English

PARENTS: Unknown

SIBLINGS: Unknown

SPOUSE: Unknown

CHILDREN: James (b. 1742), Thomas (b. 1746) and Elizabeth (b. 1749)

EDUCATION: Unknown

MAJOR WORK: 'The Anti-Logarithmic Canon', 1742

LIFE AND TIMES: Nothing is known of the early life of James Dodson, except that he was possibly a pupil of the great Huguenot mathematician De Moivre*. 

The first known fact concerning him is the publication, in 1742, of his most important work, 'The Anti-Logarithmic Canon', which contained a table of numbers consisting of eleven places of figures, corresponding to all logarithms under 100,000 to which he added an introduction describing the methods and uses of logarithms, a work that remained unique until 1849.

In 1747 Dodson then published 'The Calculator…  adapted to Science, Business and Pleasure', a collection of small seven-figure logarithmic tables, and dedicated to the mathematician William Jones*.

The same year he also published the first volume of his 'Mathematical Miscellany', dedicated to de Moivre, containing analytical and algebraic solutions to a large number of problems in various branches of mathematics. The second volume of the 'Miscellany' appeared in 1753,  contained a piece by de Moivre himself, and is dedicated to problems relating to annuities, reversions and insurances. Meanwhile, Dodson apparently made a living by working as a math teacher.

In 1750 Dodson had published his 'Accountant, or a Method of Book-keeping',  and in January 1755 he was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society*.  In August of the same year he was elected headmaster of the Royal Mathematical School at Christ's Hospital, London.  [He also drew up plans for the establishment of an insurance company ('Equitable Society'), which would insure all ages.  His attempts to get a charter for the Society failed, but after his death it was established (1762)]

The Equitable Society was instrumental in the development of the scientific calculation of life-insurance and pension premiums, based on the evaluation by new probability studies of mortality rates from the City of London: as these were unduly high, the mortality rates at Northampton and Norwich from 1735 to 1780 were compiled by the philosopher and minister Price* in his 'Observations on Reversionary Payments' (1771),  a landmark work in the development of life-insurance and pensions.

ASSESSMENT: Greatly aided attempts in the late-18th century to place the business of life-insurance and pensions on a scientific footing.

EXTRA CONNECTIONS: None

ONELINER:  James Dodson, early insurance guru

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

DNB