501 quotes by mathematicians for you to enjoy

I was never very good at school with... humanities... anything which was more a matter of opinion. Terence Tao

Good School Matter Humanities More Never Opinion Very Anything Which

You want to get to the top of the cliff. But that's not what you focus on immediately. You focus on the next ledge just beyond your reach, because you need to do one clever thing to get up there. And then, once you get there, you do it again. A lot of this is rather boring and not very glamorous. But you can't jump cliffs in a single bound. Terence Tao

You Focus Clever Single Once Top Immediately Boring Rather Glamorous Bound Reach Beyond Because Cliff Cliffs Lot Up Jump Very Get Just Want Again Then Next Your There And Then Thing Need

I often don't know what I'll be working on next year or a year from now. There is often a chance meeting, or something that I worked on 10 years ago suddenly becomes important again. Terence Tao

Important Year Meeting Something Know Becomes Years Years Ago Often Again Worked Next Working Next Year Suddenly Now Chance

The accuracy of Wikipedia can be dodgy in some places, but in maths, it's really quite good. Terence Tao

Good Wikipedia Some Maths Accuracy Quite Places Really

I still remember the realization in college at Flinders University in Australia that mathematics was not just an abstract game of symbols but could be used as a tool to analyze and understand the modern world. Terence Tao

Mathematics Game World Remember College Tool Analyze Could Abstract Understand Still Australia Modern Just Modern World Realization Used Symbols University

I tend to change research direction every few years or so. Terence Tao

Change Few Research Every Direction Tend Years

Research sometimes feels like an ongoing TV series in which some amazing revelations have already been made, but there are still plenty of cliff-hangers and unresolved plotlines that you want to see resolved. But unlike TV, we have to do the work ourselves to figure out what happens next. Terence Tao

Work You Sometimes Amazing Made Research Resolved Unlike Plenty Ourselves Out TV TV Series See Some Ongoing Unresolved Feels Like Revelations Still Been Want Happens Which Next Figure Series

Most students who take math classes aren't going to be mathematicians. They're going to be engineers, statisticians - in many ways, that's the more important mission of math education. Terence Tao

Education Important Ways Classes More Take Students Mission Most Math Mathematicians Going Engineers Who Many

I don't have any magical ability. I look at a problem, play with it, work out a strategy. Terence Tao

Work Problem Strategy Out Ability Magical Look Any Work Out Play

No simplicity of mind, no obscurity of station, can escape the universal duty of questioning all that we believe. William Kingdon Clifford

Simplicity Mind Duty Believe Station Obscurity Questioning Escape Universal

A little reflection will show us that every belief, even the simplest and most fundamental, goes beyond experience when regarded as a guide to our actions. William Kingdon Clifford

Experience Reflection Will Every Our Guide Simplest Beyond Most Goes Regarded Little Us Show Actions Even Belief Fundamental

It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence. William Kingdon Clifford

Believe Everywhere Evidence Wrong Insufficient Always Anyone Anything

In like manner, if I let myself believe anything on insufficient evidence, there may be no great harm done by the mere belief; it may be true after all, or I may never have occasion to exhibit it in outward acts. William Kingdon Clifford

Nor is it that truly a belief at all which has not some influence upon the actions of him who holds it. William Kingdon Clifford

Some Him Nor Truly Influence Holds Which Who Actions Belief

If a belief is not realized immediately in open deeds, it is stored up for the guidance of the future. William Kingdon Clifford

Future Guidance Immediately Open Up Stored Realized Deeds Belief

To know all about anything is to know how to deal with it under all circumstances. William Kingdon Clifford

Circumstances About Know Deal How Anything

If I steal money from any person, there may be no harm done from the mere transfer of possession; he may not feel the loss, or it may prevent him from using the money badly. But I cannot help doing this great wrong towards Man, that I make myself dishonest. William Kingdon Clifford

Myself Great Man Money Possession Steal Prevent He Badly Wrong Mere Feel Towards Make Him Doing Loss Person Any Done May Dishonest Transfer Cannot Help Using Harm

To sum up: it is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence. William Kingdon Clifford

Believe Sum Everywhere Evidence Wrong Insufficient Always Up Anyone Anything

To consider only one other such witness: the followers of the Buddha have at least as much right to appeal to individual and social experience in support of the authority of the Eastern saviour. William Kingdon Clifford

Experience Witness Other Consider Saviour Eastern Followers Only Individual Buddha Support Least Authority Social Much Appeal Right

Quotes by Mathematicians