Mark Kac Professions : Mathematician Born : August 16, 1914 Died : October 25, 1984 Browse All Authors Top 6 quotes by Mark Kac There are surely worse things than being wrong, and being dull and pedantic are surely among them. Mark Kac pedantic being-wrong dull To exist (in mathematics), said Henri Poincaré, is to be free from contradiction. But mere existence does not guarantee survival. To survive in mathematics requires a kind of vitality that cannot be described in purely logical terms. Mark Kac vitality survival doe ... there are those who believe that mathematics can sustain itself and grow without any further contact with anything outside itself, and those who believe that nature is still and always will be one of the main (if not the main) sources of mathematical inspiration. The first group is identified as "pure mathematicians" (though "purist" would be more adequate) while the second is, with equal inadequacy, referred to as "applied". Mark Kac groups inspiration believe A proof is that which convinces a reasonable man; a rigorous proof is that which convinces an unreasonable man. Mark Kac proof unreasonable men Mathematics is not a separate entity. It owes a great deal of its power and its beauty to other disciplines. Mark Kac entity mathematics discipline In recent years we have become much more preoccupied with streamlining and organizing our subject than with maintaining its overall vitality. If we are not careful, a great adventure of the mind will become yet another profession. Mark Kac mind adventure years Similar Authors Abram Samoilovitch Besicovitch mathematician Brahmagupta mathematician Augustus De Morgan mathematician Augustin-Louis Cauchy mathematician Atle Selberg mathematician Arthur Cayley mathematician All Authors
