There is no scorn more profound, or on the whole more justifiable, than that of the men who make for the men who explain. G. H. Hardy More Quotes by G. H. Hardy More Quotes From G. H. Hardy It is a melancholy experience for a professional mathematician to find himself writing about mathematics. The function of a mathematician is to do something, to prove new theorems, to add to mathematics, and not to talk about what he or other mathematicians have done. Statesmen despise publicists, painters despise art-critics, and physiologists, physicists, or mathematicians have usually similar feelings: there is no scorn more profound, or on the whole more justifiable, than that of the men who make for the men who explain. Exposition, criticism, appreciation, is work for second-rate minds. G. H. Hardy writingappreciationart If a man is in any sense a real mathematician, then it is a hundred to one that his mathematics will be far better than anything else he can do, and that he would be silly if he surrendered any decent opportunity of exercising his one talent in order to do undistinguished work in other fields. Such a sacrifice could be justified only by economic necessity of age. G. H. Hardy sacrificerealsilly Mathematics may, like poetry or music, "promote and sustain a lofty habit of mind." G. H. Hardy mindmayscience The Babylonian and Assyrian civilizations have perished; Hammurabi, Sargon and Nebuchadnezzar are empty names; yet Babylonian mathematics is still interesting, and the Babylonian scale of 60 is still used in Astronomy. G. H. Hardy namescivilizationscience I propose to put forward an apology for mathematics; and I may be told that it needs none, since there are now few studies more generally recognized, for good reasons or bad, as profitable and praiseworthy. G. H. Hardy apologyscienceneeds [I was advised] to read Jordan's 'Cours d'analyse'; and I shall never forget the astonishment with which I read that remarkable work, the first inspiration for so many mathematicians of my generation, and learnt for the first time as I read it what mathematics really meant. G. H. Hardy inspirationsciencefirsts For any serious purpose, intelligence is a very minor gift. G. H. Hardy seriouspurposescience The public does not need to be convinced that there is something in mathematics. G. H. Hardy mathematicsdoeneeds Most people have some appreciation of mathematics, just as most people can enjoy a pleasant tune; and there are probably more people really interested in mathematics than in music. Appearances suggest the contrary, but there are easy explanations. Music can be used to stimulate mass emotion, while mathematics cannot; and musical incapacity is recognized (no doubt rightly) as mildly discreditable, whereas most people are so frightened of the name of mathematics that they are ready, quite unaffectedly, to exaggerate their own mathematical stupidity G. H. Hardy namesmathappreciation The mathematician's patterns, like the painter's or the poet's must be beautiful; the ideas, like the colours or the words must fit together in a harmonious way. Beauty is the first test: there is no permanent place in the world for ugly mathematics. G. H. Hardy mathbeautifulbeauty Exposition, criticism, appreciation, is work for second-rate minds. G. H. Hardy criticismmindappreciation Chess problems are the hymn-tunes of mathematics. G. H. Hardy hymnstunesscience Bombs are probably more merciful than bayonets G. H. Hardy bayonetsmercifulbombs In these days of conflict between ancient and modern studies, there must surely be something to be said for a study which did not begin with Pythagoras, and will not end with Einstein, but is the oldest and the youngest of all. G. H. Hardy conflictstudyscience Bradman is a whole class above any batsman who has ever lived: if Archimedes, Newton and Gauss remain in the Hobbs class, I have to admit the possibility of a class above them, which I find difficult to imagine. They had better be moved from now on into the Bradman class. G. H. Hardy newtonimagineclass The study of mathematics is, if an unprofitable, a perfectly harmless and innocent occupation. G. H. Hardy occupationstudyscience It is rather astonishing how little practical value scientific knowledge has for ordinary men, how dull and commonplace such of it as has value is, and how its value seems almost to vary inversely to its reputed utility. G. H. Hardy menscienceknowledge There is always more in one of Ramanujan's formulae than meets the eye, as anyone who sets to work to verify those which look the easiest will soon discover. In some the interest lies very deep, in others comparatively near the surface; but there is not one which is not curious and entertaining. G. H. Hardy eyesciencelying No one should ever be bored. … One can be horrified, or disgusted, but one can’t be bored. G. H. Hardy boredboringshould ... Philosophy proper is a subject, on the one hand so hopelessly obscure, on the other so astonishingly elementary, that there knowledge hardly counts. G. H. Hardy obscurephilosophyhands
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