Timeline for Famous mathematical quotes
Current License: CC BY-SA 2.5
5 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 10, 2021 at 15:48 | comment | added | Chris Leary | @user2204 - I used to tell my students that one of the hardest things about teaching mathematics was that once you understand something it is obvious, but, for the student, before you understand it is as clear as mud. | |
| Mar 7, 2017 at 20:55 | comment | added | Akiva Weinberger | Notable counterexample: The existence of the monster group. I think Conway has said that no one quite understands "why" it exists. | |
| Apr 23, 2010 at 15:48 | comment | added | Steve Huntsman | I once heard Henry McKean say of mathematical models in physics that "First, they’re pretty disgraceful. Second, they work extremely well...One of the faults of mathematicians is: when physicists give them an equation, they take it absolutely seriously." (I wrote this down on the spot.) | |
| Jan 8, 2010 at 6:27 | comment | added | Pete L. Clark | This reminds me of Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, in which the physics grad students at Princeton propose the theorem that mathematicians only prove trivial theorems. | |
| Dec 1, 2009 at 2:07 | history | answered | user2204 | CC BY-SA 2.5 |