Talk:Georg Friedrich Parrot

Too many dubious and unsourced statements!

The present article, from its very first establishment in 2007, carried far too much "information" that is either plain wrong, or unresearched guess-work presented as "fact", especially concerning the early life of the scientist (information on his later years seems broadly accurate, although lacunary). This has consequences also for the "categories" established at the end. A pity, as reliable sources on his life exist (albeit largely in German - I shall cite some below). But the greater pity: that WIKI-en still permits the submission and publication of articles without any source indication whatever.

Problems start in the first line. Parrot is there called a Livonian scientist. What does that mean, given the man was born a bit west of the Rhine, took his degrees in Stuttgart and Königsberg, taught in Baden and Württemberg for 6 years (1788-95) before coming to the Baltics, and spent the last 20 years of his life in St.Petersburg? In normal understanding, Livonian would refer to a native of that territory. If classification by nationality is necessary, both German and perhaps French would fit him.

In the "categories" field, he is then classed as a French scientist, more confusion. This probably derives from the next para, where Parrot's birthplace (in 1767) is given as Montbéliard, France. Now, Montbéliard (Mümpelgard) became French de facto only in 1793 (occupation by revolutionary armies) and de jure in 1806 (by treaty with Napoléon); until then it was an exclave county - a francophone district of Lutheran religion - of the German Duchy of Württemberg. But having him born in France, the article then has to find a reason why he was sent to do his studies, 1782-86, in "physics and mathematics", in Stuttgart "rather than to some place in France" - the explanation perhaps an invention of the article's author to make B fit A? In fact, Parrot went to the Caroline Academy in Stuttgart because it was the state university of his home country, certainly attracted by the substantial reduction in fees offered him (and also his brother) by Duke Carl Eugen (perhaps mediated by the "local duke" to whom his father was personal physician, brother of the reigning duke in Stuttgart). And while he almost certainly took many courses in physics and mathematics, he was formally enrolled "in cameralia" (administrative science and economics).

I shall stop this review here, not having the time to rewrite this article - but a rewriting certainly seems necessary.

Recommended sources (in German): Stieda, Ludwig. "Parrot, Georg Friedrich von", in: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, v.25 (1887), pp.184-86, url: http://www.deutsche-biographie.de/sfz93954.html

Gebhardt, Werner (ed.), Die Schüler der Hohen Karlsschule. Ein biographisches Lexikon. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer Verlag, 2011, p.408 - on his studies in Stuttgart. 188.60.208.206 (talk) 22:24, 18 September 2012 (UTC)