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
I do not see that the sex of the candidate is an argument against her admission as a Privatdozent. After all, the Senate is not a bathhouse. Objecting to sex discrimination being the reason for rejection of Emmy Noether's application to join the faculty at the University of Gottingen.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The sex of a candidate should not be a reason for their rejection in academia.
David Hilbert's quote emphasizes the importance of equality in academic opportunities, specifically addressing the unfairness of gender discrimination in faculty admissions. He argues that qualifications and capabilities should take precedence over personal attributes like sex, thereby advocating for an inclusive and merit-based educational environment.
Themes
Sex DiscriminationEqualityEducationAcademic FreedomWomen In Academia
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech addressing gender equality in science, this quote can be used to highlight the importance of considering candidates based on qualifications rather than gender.
More from David Hilbert
All quotes →The 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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Mathematics is a game played according to certain simple rules with meaningless marks on paper.
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No one shall expel us from the paradise that Cantor has created for us.
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