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Morning Science Quote
By Michael White | February 4th 2010 09:06 AM | 4 comments | Print | E-mail | Track Comments
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About Michael

Welcome to Adaptive Complexity, where I write about genomics, systems biology, evolution, and the connection between science and literature,

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I saw that mathematics was split up into numerous specialties, each of which could easily absorb the short lifetime granted to us. Consequently, I saw myself in the position of Buridan's ass which was unable to decide upon any specific bundle of hay. This was obviously due to the fact that my intuition was not strong enough in the field of mathematics in order to differentiate clearly the fundamentally important from the rest of the more or less dispensable erudition... In [physics] however, I soon learned to scent out that which was able to lead to fundamentals and to turn aside from everything else, from the multitude of things which clutter up the mind and divert it from the essential.


- Albert Einstein, quoted in Einstein, Jeremy Bernstein, p. 23




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rholley's picture



One of the disappointments experienced by most mathematics students is that they never get a course in mathematics. They get courses in calculus, algebra, topology, and so on, but the division of labor in teaching seems to prevent these different topics from being combined into a whole. In fact, some of the most important and natural questions are stifled because they fall on the wrong side of topic boundary lines. Algebraists do not discuss the fundamental theorem of algebra because “that’s analysis” and analysts do not discuss Riemann surfaces because “that’s topology,” for example. Thus if students are to feel they really know mathematics by the time they graduate, there is a need to unify the subject.


That's the start of the preface to Mathematics and its History by John Stillwell (ISBN 0387953361.)


I do, however, think his more recent book, Yearning for the Impossible: The Surprising Truths of Mathematics (ISBN 156881254X) is the better one to go for.



Robert H Olley | 02/04/10 | 12:42 PM
adaptivecomplexity's picture
These look great - thanks for the recommendation.

Michael White | 02/04/10 | 15:44 PM
critser@earthlink.net's picture
can i get your email?
i am at critser@earthlink.net

Greg Critser | 02/04/10 | 14:19 PM
Fred Pauser's picture
...however, I soon learned to scent out that which was able to lead to fundamentals and to turn aside from everything else, from the multitude of things which clutter up the mind and divert it from the essential

Michael, great quote! Einstein is one of my heros. (I've read much of his writings, but have not seen this quote before.) As a seeker of what is true of reality at a basic and practical level, this quote sums up my approach, and should be a reminder of anyone else on a similar search to take care to not be diverted "from the essential." Thanks!


Fred Pauser | 02/06/10 | 15:25 PM

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