Mathematics Quotes - Page 16

• We never know what we are talking about.

  Karl Popper

  Math, Talking, Mathematical Logic

  Karl Popper (2005). “Unended Quest: An Intellectual Autobiography”, p.26, Routledge

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• A great part of its theories derives an additional charm from the peculiarity that important propositions, with the impress of simplicity on them, are often easily discovered by induction, and yet are of so profound a character that we cannot find the demonstrations till after many vain attempts; and even then, when we do succeed, it is often by some tedious and artificial process, while the simple methods may long remain concealed.

  Carl Friedrich Gauss

  Success, Character, Simple

  "Mathematical Circles Adieu". Book by Howard W. Eves, 1977.

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• 

  Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.

  Albert Einstein

  Inspirational, Funny, Witty

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• The community of mathematicians is similar to an imaginary community of musical composers whose only satisfaction is obtained by the interchange among themselves of the musical scores they compose.

  Cornelius Lanczos

  Community, Musical, Satisfaction

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• What humans do with the language of mathematics is to describe patterns.

  Lynn Steen

  Knowledge, Math, Patterns

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• Mathematics is no more computation than typing is literature.

  John Allen Paulos

  Teaching, Math, Literature

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• If you think it's simple, then you have misunderstood the problem.

  Bjarne Stroustrup

  Simple, Thinking, Misunderstood

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• It is not the job of mathematicians... to do correct arithmetical operations. It is the job of bank accountants.

  Samuil Shatunovsky

  Jobs, Math, Arithmetic

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• The mathematics is not there till we put it there.

  Arthur Eddington

  Sensual

  Arthur Eddington (2012). “The Philosophy of Physical Science: Tarner Lectures (1938)”, p.137, Cambridge University Press

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• The science of mathematics presents the most brilliant example of how pure reason may successfully enlarge its domain without the aid of experience

  Immanuel Kant

  Math, Science, Example

  Immanuel Kant (1881). “Critique of Pure Reason”

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• As to your Newton, I confess I do not understand his void and his gravity; I admit he has demonstrated the movement of the heavenly bodies with more exactitude than his forerunners; but you will admit it is an absurdity to to maintain the existence of Nothing.

  Frederick The Great

  Movement, Body, Void

  Letter 221 to Voltaire on November 25, 1777. "Letters of Voltaire and Frederick the Great", translated by Richard Aldington, 1927.

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• The mathematician has reached the highest rung on the ladder of human thought.

  Havelock Ellis

  Math, Science, Ladders

  havelock ellis (1923). “the dance of life”

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• Mathematics has not a foot to stand upon which is not purely metaphysical.

  Thomas de Quincey

  Feet, Metaphysical

  Thomas De Quincey, James Thomas Fields (1854). “De Quincey's Writings: Essays on philosophical writers and other men of letters. 1854-60. [v. 14 stereotyped”, p.103

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• For the things of this world cannot be made known without a knowledge of mathematics.

  Roger Bacon

  Knowledge, Math, World

  Roger Bacon (2016). “Opus Majus, Volumes 1 and 2”, p.128, University of Pennsylvania Press

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• I believe that mathematical reality lies outside us, that our function is to discover or observe it, and that the theorems which we prove, and which we describe grandiloquently as our "creations," are simply the notes of our observations.

  G. H. Hardy

  Lying, Believe, Science

  G. H. Hardy (1992). “A Mathematician's Apology”, p.123, Cambridge University Press

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• Physics is essentially an intuitive and concrete science. Mathematics is only a means for expressing the laws that govern phenomena.

  Albert Einstein

  Mean, Law, Physics

  "Albert Einstein, 14 March, 1879-18 April 1955: A guide for the perplexed". Book by Albert Einstein, 1979.

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• He that gives a portion of his time and talent to the investigation of mathematical truth, will come to all other questions with a decided advantage over his opponents.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Giving, Opponents, Talent

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”, p.159

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• Archimedes will be remembered when Aeschylus is forgotten, because languages die and mathematical ideas do not. "Immortality" may be a silly word, but probably a mathematician has the best chance of whatever it may mean.

  G. H. Hardy

  Silly, Mean, Math

  A Mathematician's Apology ch. 8 (1940)

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• The pursuit of mathematics is a divine madness of the human spirit.

  Alfred North Whitehead

  Math, Spirit, Madness

  Alfred North Whitehead (1997). “Science and the Modern World”, p.20, Simon and Schuster

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• Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty-a beauty cold and austere ... yet sublimely pure and capable of stern perfection such as only the greatest art can show.

  Bertrand Russell

  Art, Math, Perfection

  "The Study of Mathematics" (1902)

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• It is generally recognised that women are better than men at languages, personal relations and multi-tasking, but less good at map-reading and spatial awareness. It is therefore not unreasonable to suppose that women might be less good at mathematics and physics.

  Stephen Hawking

  Reading, Men, Multitasking

  "Return of the time lord" by Emma Brockes, www.theguardian.com. September 27, 2005.

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• In some parts of life, like mathematics and science, yeah, I was a genius. I would top all the top scores you could ever measure it by.

  Steve Wozniak

  Genius, Economy, Yeah

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• If we take in our hand any volume; of divinity or school metaphysics, for instance; let us ask, Does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames: for it can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion.

  David Hume

  School, Math, Numbers

  An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding sec. 12, pt. 3 (1748)

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• From the very beginning of his education, the child should experience the joy of discovery.

  Alfred North Whitehead

  Music, Education, Children

  Alfred North Whitehead (1967). “Aims of Education”, p.2, Simon and Schuster

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• The world is anxious to admire that apex and culmination of modern mathematics: a theorem so perfectly general that no particular application of it is feasible.

  George Polya

  Science, Anxiety, World

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