Quotes by Math Life is an offensive, directed against the repetitious mechanism of the Universe. Alfred North Whitehead offensive math life The study of mathematics is apt to commence in disappointment. Alfred North Whitehead molecules disappointment math There is no nature at an instant. Alfred North Whitehead instant nature math There is no more common error than to assume that, because prolonged and accurate mathematical calculations have been made, the application of the result to some fact of nature is absolutely certain. Alfred North Whitehead errors math facts No Roman ever died in contemplation over a geometrical diagram. Alfred North Whitehead diagrams contemplation math War can protect; it cannot create. Alfred North Whitehead protect math war The whole of mathematics consists in the organization of a series of aids to the imagination in the process of reasoning. Alfred North Whitehead organization imagination math Mathematics as a science, commenced when first someone, probably a Greek, proved propositions about "any" things or about "some" things, without specifications of definite particular things. Alfred North Whitehead greek math science Algebra is the intellectual instrument which has been created for rendering clear the quantitative aspects of the world. Alfred North Whitehead intellectual teaching math In modern times the belief that the ultimate explanation of all things was to be found in Newtonian mechanics was an adumbration of the truth that all science, as it grows towards perfection, becomes mathematical in its ideas. Alfred North Whitehead perfection math ideas In the study of ideas, it is necessary to remember that insistence on hard-headed clarity issues from sentimental feeling, as it were a mist, cloaking the perplexities of fact. Insistence on clarity at all costs is based on sheer superstition as to the mode in which human intelligence functions. Our reasonings grasp at straws for premises and float on gossamers for deductions. Alfred North Whitehead issues math ideas Algebra reverses the relative importance of the factors in ordinary language. It is essentially a written language, and it endeavors to exemplify in its written structures the patterns which it is its purpose to convey. The pattern of the marks on paper is a particular instance of the pattern to be conveyed to thought. The algebraic method is our best approach to the expression of necessity, by reason of its reduction of accident to the ghostlike character of the real variable. Alfred North Whitehead real math character I will not go so far as to say that to construct a history of thought without profound study of the mathematical ideas of successive epochs is like omitting Hamlet from the play which is named after him. That would be claiming too much. But it is certainly analogous to cutting out the part of Ophelia. This simile is singularly exact. For Ophelia is quite essential to the play, she is very charming . . . and a little mad. Alfred North Whitehead cutting math success There is a tradition of opposition between adherents of induction and of deduction. In my view it would be just as sensible for the two ends of a worm to quarrel. Alfred North Whitehead views math science So far as the mere imparting of information is concerned, no university has had any justification for existence since the popularization of printing in the fifteenth century. Alfred North Whitehead printing information math "One and one make two" assumes that the changes in the shift of circumstance are unimportant. But it is impossible for us to analyze this notion of unimportant change. Alfred North Whitehead change math two Algebra reverses the relative importance of the factors in ordinary language. Alfred North Whitehead language ordinary math If I feel unhappy, I do mathematics to become happy. If I am happy, I do mathematics to keep happy. Alfred Renyi unhappy math happiness We cheated on our math tests, we carved some dirty words on the desk. Alice Cooper education math dirty I love the psychology versus math and logic. In algebra, "X" means any possible variable. I sort of think about "X" in terms of the equation of my own life. Adding "X" to my own life has given me a freedom that I didn't have before in the equation of my own existence. Allie X math mean thinking «1234567891011»