If one were to bring ten of the wisest men in the world together and ask them what was the most stupid thing in existence, they would not be able to discover anything so stupid as astrology.
David HilbertRead
Mathematics is a game played according to certain simple rules with meaningless marks on paper.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Mathematics is a structured discipline played by following defined rules, even if its symbols seem arbitrary.
David Hilbert's quote highlights the idea that mathematics, while perceived as intricate and complex, fundamentally operates through simple rules that govern its structure. The 'meaningless marks on paper' refer to the symbols and notations used in math, which may appear arbitrary but are essential in creating a coherent framework for solving problems and understanding the world, illustrating that the beauty of mathematics lies in its logical consistency and systematic approach.
Themes
MathematicsRulesSymbolsEducationLogic
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a classroom to inspire students about the nature of mathematics.
More from David Hilbert
All quotes βThe art of doing mathematics consists in finding that special case which contains all the germs of generality.
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The further a mathematical theory is developed, the more harmoniously and uniformly does its construction proceed, and unsuspected relations are disclosed between hitherto separated branches of the science.
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Wir mussen wissen. Wir werden wissen. We must know. We will know. Inscribed on his tomb in Gilttingen.
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No one shall expel us from the paradise that Cantor has created for us.
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Mathematical science is in my opinion an indivisible whole, an organism whose vitality is conditioned upon the connection of its parts.
David HilbertRead
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