Timeline for Famous mathematical quotes
Current License: CC BY-SA 2.5
11 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 16, 2014 at 14:18 | comment | added | jmc | It took some time to get used to this quote, but now I understand it… | |
| Nov 21, 2012 at 1:03 | comment | added | Jon Bannon | 'Potential infinity' and 'actual infinity' are concepts dating back, I think, to Aristotle. A potential infinity is like a basket that always holds another apple, no matter how many apples you take, whereas an actual infinity is like the totality of points in a circle drawn on paper. One (the actual infinity) is a completed whole to be apprehended at once, whereas the other (potential infinity) can never be apprehended in total. This strikes me as the distinction between algebra and geometry. | |
| Apr 26, 2010 at 5:20 | comment | added | Martin Brandenburg | I'm curious what you mean with that. what does potential infinity mean? | |
| Mar 26, 2010 at 3:56 | comment | added | Sunni | Different understandings of the quote lead to different styles of math-study. People who agree are doing 'potential infinity' mathematics, while people who disagree are doing 'actual infinity' mathematics. | |
| Feb 2, 2010 at 15:45 | comment | added | Martin Brandenburg | I totally disagree with this quote ... | |
| Dec 7, 2009 at 2:04 | comment | added | Steven Gubkin | I constantly try to check myself to make sure that I am really understanding, and am not just "getting used to" the things that I am learning. It is very difficult, but I think that I am gaining understanding of the basics little by little. | |
| Dec 4, 2009 at 21:20 | comment | added | M.G. | I may have a surprise for you... "Understanding"="getting used to"! :) | |
| Dec 2, 2009 at 19:37 | comment | added | Dan Piponi | I feel that it's true of both mathematics and physics, but when talking about mathematics it's a much deeper statement. | |
| Dec 1, 2009 at 7:30 | comment | added | Ohdarkdevil | I thought the quote was aiming at talking about abstract concepts, that we never really understand. | |
| Nov 30, 2009 at 6:20 | comment | added | Harry Gindi | I don't know how much I agree with that. It may be true about physics, but not math. | |
| Nov 29, 2009 at 21:34 | history | answered | mathreader | CC BY-SA 2.5 |