MATH QUOTES III

quotations about mathematics

A Mathematician who is not also something of a poet will never be a complete mathematician.

KARL WEIERSTRASS

attributed, Journal of Applied Mechanics, 1939


Unfortunately, mathematics is always encumbered by the repetition in text-books of numberless subsidiary propositions, whose importance has been lost by their absorption into the role of particular cases of more general truths--and, as we have already insisted, generality is the soul of mathematics.

ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD

An Introduction to Mathematics


Mathematics is often considered a difficult and mysterious science, because of the numerous symbols which it employs. Of course, nothing is more incomprehensible than a symbolism which we do not understand. Also a symbolism, which we only partially understand and are unaccustomed to use, is difficult to follow. In exactly the same way the technical terms of any profession or trade are incomprehensible to those who have never been trained to use them. But this is not because they are difficult in themselves. On the contrary they have invariably been introduced to make things easy. So in mathematics, granted that we are giving any serious attention to mathematical ideas, the symbolism is invariably an immense simplification. It is not only of practical use, but is of great interest. For it represents an analysis of the ideas of the subject and an almost pictorial representation of their relations to each other.

ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD

An Introduction to Mathematics


In real life, I assure you, there is no such thing as algebra.

FRAN LEBOWITZ

"Tips for Teens", Social Studies

Tags: Fran Lebowitz


Mathematicians deal with large numbers sometimes, but never in their income.

ISAAC ASIMOV

Prelude to Foundation

Tags: Isaac Asimov


I had a feeling once about Mathematics, that I saw it all--Depth beyond depth was revealed to me--the Byss and the Abyss. I saw, as one might see the transit of Venus--or even the Lord Mayor's Show, a quantity passing through infinity and changing its sign from plus to minus. I saw exactly how it happened and why the tergiversation was inevitable: and how the one step involved all the others. It was like politics. But it was after dinner and I let it go!

WINSTON CHURCHILL

My Early Life: A Roving Commission

Tags: Winston Churchill


Mathematics does not exercise the judgment, and if too exclusively pursued, may leave the student very ill qualified for moral reasoning.

R. WHATELY

attributed, Day's Collacon