“That this subject [of imaginary magnitudes] has hitherto been considered from the wrong point of view and surrounded by a mysterious obscurity, is to be attributed largely to an ill-adapted notation. If, for example, +1, -1, and the square root of -1 had been called direct, inverse and lateral units, instead of positive, negative and imaginary (or even impossible), such an obscurity would have been out of the question.” IfsHas BeensViewsImpossibleSubjectsExampleNegativeDirectRootsIllPoint Of ViewMysteriousSquaresImaginaryUnitsObscurityMagnitudeAdaptedInverseSquare Roots Author:Carl Friedrich Gauss
“It is not knowledge, but the act of learning, not possession but the act of getting there, which grants the greatest enjoyment. When I have clarified and exhausted a subject, then I turn away from it, in order to go into darkness again; the never-satisfied man is so strange if he has completed a structure, then it is not in order to dwell in it peacefully,but in order to begin another. I imagine the world conqueror must feel thus, who, after one kingdom is scarcely conquered, stretches out his arms for others.” IfsMenWorldFeelsScienceOrderTurnsKnowledgeDarknessLearningImagineSubjectsStrangeArmsStructurePossessionSatisfiedKingdomsEnjoymentGrantsExhaustedConquerorGreat Math Author:Carl Friedrich Gauss
“When I have clarified and exhausted a subject, then I turn away from it, in order to go into darkness again.” OrderTurnsDarknessSubjectsExhaustedExhaustion Author:Carl Friedrich Gauss
“I have the vagary of taking a lively interest in mathematical subjects only where I may anticipate ingenious association of ideas and results recommending themselves by elegance or generality.” MayIdeasScienceInterestResultsSubjectsMathematicalAssociationBiographiesEleganceAnticipateLivelyIngeniousGeneralities Author:Carl Friedrich Gauss
“I have a true aversion to teaching. The perennial business of a professor of mathematics is only to teach the ABC of his science; most of the few pupils who go a step further, and usually to keep the metaphor, remain in the process of gathering information, become only Halbwisser [one who has superficial knowledge of the subject], for the rarer talents do not want to have themselves educated by lecture courses, but train themselves. And with this thankless work the professor loses his precious time.” WantScienceCoursesProcessLosesEducationStepsTeachTeachingSubjectsTalentInformationMathematicsTrainMetaphorEducatedProfessorsSuperficialGatheringLecturesPupilsAversionPrecious TimeThanklessSuperficial KnowledgeGathering Information Author:Carl Friedrich Gauss
