Guided only by their feeling for symmetry, simplicity, and generality, and an indefinable sense of the fitness of things, creative mathematicians now, as in the past, are inspired by the art of mathematics rather than by any prospect of ultimate usefulness.

  • -- Eric Temple Bell 埃里克·坦普尔·贝尔

现在的创造性数学家和过去一样,只受他们对对称性、简明性和普遍性的感觉以及对事物适应性的一种无法定义的感觉的指导,他们受到数学艺术的启发,而不是受到任何最终有用的前景的启发。

相关名言

I am drawn to writing and directing as it is most like the feeling I had when I was a teenager with my puppet theatre. You are more in control of everything and involved in every aspect of production, so more challenged and fulfilled.

我被写作和导演所吸引,因为这很像我十几岁时在木偶剧院的感觉。你更能掌控一切,参与到生产的方方面面,因此更有挑战性和成就感。

Perhaps a child who is fussed over gets a feeling of destiny; he thinks he is in the world for something important, and it gives him drive and confidence.

也许,一个过于焦虑的孩子会有一种宿命感;他认为他在这个世界上是为了一些重要的事情,这给了他动力和信心。

I am only conscious of any satisfaction in Scientific Reading or thinking when it rounds off into a poetical generality and vagueness.

我只有在科学阅读或思考的过程中才会感到满足,因为它最终会变成诗意的概括性和模糊性。

One of the glories of English simplicity is the possibility of using the same word as noun and verb.

英语简洁的一个优点是可以将同一个单词用作名词和动词。

The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials.

生活的智慧在于消除不必要的东西。

The mathematics is not there till we put it there.

数学是不存在的,除非我们把它放在那里。

Mathematicians stand on each other's shoulders.

数学家们站在彼此的肩膀上。