Mathematics is one of the deepest and most powerful expressions of pure human reason, and, at the same time, the most fundamental resource for description and analysis of the experiential world.
Interpretation
Mathematics is a key tool for human reasoning and understanding the world around us.
This quote by Hyman Bass emphasizes the dual role of mathematics as both a profound expression of human intellect and as an essential tool for describing and analyzing our experiences in the real world. It suggests that mathematical reasoning goes beyond mere numbers and calculations, serving as a foundation for comprehending complex phenomena in various domains of life and science.
In practice
In a lecture on the importance of mathematics in scientific research, you could use this quote to highlight its significance.
Astronauts will remain the explorers, the pioneers-the first to go back to moon and on to Mars. But I think it's really important to make space space available to as many people as we can. It's going to be a while before we can launch people for less than $20 million a ticket. But that day is coming.
Weve got to go [back to the moon]. But we dont want to stay too long. ... The ultimate goal is Mars.
I thought to myself: What are the most important problems that society faces that I could contribute to? And it was clear that finding new sustainable sources of energy was the most important.
Frequently on the lunar surface I said to myself, 'This is the Moon, that is the Earth. I'm really here, I'm really here!'
Mathematics, the non-empirical science par excellence . . . the science of sciences, delivering the key to those laws of nature and the universe which are concealed by appearances.
I came to dedicate my life to opening space to the average person and crafting designs for new spaceships that could take us far from home. But since Apollo ended, such travels were only in our collective memory.
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