Victor Shestakov

Victor Ivanovich Shestakov (1907, Moscow – 1987, Moscow) was a Russian/Soviet logician and theoretician of electrical engineering. In 1935 he discovered the possible interpretation of Boolean algebra of logic in electro-mechanical relay circuits. He graduated from Moscow State University (1934) and worked there in the General Physics Department almost until his death.

Shestakov proposed a theory of electric switches based on Boolean logic earlier than Claude Shannon (due to certification of prominent Soviet logicians and mathematicians S.A. Yanovskaya, M.G. Gaaze-Rapoport, R.L. Dobrushin, O.B. Lupanov, Yu. A. Gastev, Yu. T. Medvedev, and V.A. Uspensky), though they defended Theses the same year (1938)) but the first publication of Shestakov's result took place only in 1941 (in Russian).

In the early 20th century, relay circuits began to be more widely used in automatics, defense of electric and communications systems. Every relay circuit schema for practical use was distinct invention, because the general principle of simulation of these systems was not known. Shestakov's credit (and independently later Claude Shannon) is the general theory of logical simulation inspired by rapidly increasing complexity of technical demands. Logical simulation require solid mathematical foundations. Namely these foundations were created by Shestakov.

Shestakov put forward logico-algebraic model of electrical two poles switchers (later three, and four poles switchers) with consecutive and parallel junctions of schemata elements (resistors, condensers, magnet, inductive coils, etc.). Resistance of these elements might take arbitrary values upon the real line, and upon the two elements set {0, ∞} degenerates into the bivalent Boolean algebra of logic.

Thus Shestakov may be considered as a forerunner of continual logic and its application (and, hence, Boolean algebra of logic as well) in electric engineering, the 'language' of which is reach enough to simulate non-electrical objects of any conceivable physical nature. He was a pioneer of study of merged continual logico-algebraic (parametrical) and topological (structural) models.

References

* Shestakov, V.I. Algebra of Two Poles Schemata (Algebra of A-Schemata). In: Automatics and Telemechanics, 1941, N 2, p. 15 – 24 (Russian)
* Shestakov, V.I. Algebra of Two Poles Schemata (Algebra of A-Schemata).In: Journal of Technical Physics, 1941, Vol. 11, N 6. p. 532 – 549 (Russian)
* Bazhanov, V.A., Volgin, L.I. V.I. Shestakov and C. Shannon: the Fate of One Brilliant Idea. In: Scientific and Technical Kaleidoscope, 2001, N2, pp. 43 – 48. (Russian)
* Bazhanov, V.A. [http://staff.ulsu.ru/bazhanov/VIET_Shes05.pdf "V.I. Shestakov and C. Shannon: Different Fates of One Brilliant Idea Architects"] . In: Problems of History of Science and Technology, 2005, N 2, pp. 112- 121. (Russian)
* Bazhanov, V.A. "History of Logic in Russia and the USSR". Moscow, Kanon+, 2007. (Russian) ISBN 5-88-373-032-9
* Gaaze-Rapoport, M.G. The Making of Cybernetics in the USSR. In: Cybernetics: Past for the Future. Moscow, 1989, pp. 46-85. (Russian)
* Gastev Yu.A., Medvedev, Yu.T. Some Problems of Electric Circuits. In: History of Russian Mathematics. Kiev, 1970, Vol. 2 , pp. 443 – 446. (Russian)
* Dobrushin, R.L., Lupanov, O.B. Preface to the book: Shannon, C. Works of the Theory of Information and Cybernetics. Moscow, 1963, pp. 9. (Russian)
* Yanovskaya S.A. Mathematical Logic and Foundation of Mathematics. In: Mathematics in the USSR During Last 40 Years. Moscow, 1959, Vol. 1, pp. 13 – 120. (Russian)