# Pierre Duhem

_French physicist and historian of science (1861-1916)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/pierre-duhem
Last updated: 2026-11-04

> Pierre Maurice Marie Duhem was a French theoretical physicist who made significant contributions to thermodynamics, hydrodynamics, and the theory of elasticity. Duhem was also a prolific historian of science, noted especially for his pioneering work on the European Middle Ages. As a philosopher of science, Duhem is credited with the "Duhem–Quine thesis" on the indeterminacy of experimental criteria. Duhem's opposition to positivism was partly informed by his traditionalist Catholicism, an outlook that put him at odds with the dominant academic currents in France during his lifetime.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 10 June 1861 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314172#P569))
- **Place of birth:** 2nd arrondissement of Paris ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314172#P19))
- **Died:** 14 September 1916 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314172#P570))
- **Place of death:** Cabrespine ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314172#P20))
- **Citizenship:** France ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314172#P27))
- **Occupation:** philosopher; physicist; university teacher; chemist; mathematician; philosopher of science ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314172#P106))
- **Education:** École Normale Supérieure; Collège Stanislas de Paris ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314172#P69))

## Questions

**When was Pierre Duhem born?**  
Pierre Duhem was born on 10 June 1861 in 2nd arrondissement of Paris.

**Where did Pierre Duhem study?**  
Pierre Duhem was educated at École Normale Supérieure, Collège Stanislas de Paris.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Pierre Duhem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Duhem) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q314172](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314172) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Pierre Duhem.jpg by Unknown author Unknown author Uploaded by Palthrow at en.wikipedia (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pierre_Duhem.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Pierre Duhem, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Pierre Duhem.jpg — Unknown author Unknown author Uploaded by Palthrow at en.wikipedia, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Pierre Duhem". DigiNepal. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/pierre-duhem. Retrieved 14 November 2026.