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Mark Kac Biography

Mathematician

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“It may be appropriate to quote a statement of Poincare, who said (partly in jest no doubt) that there must be something mysterious about the normal law since mathematicians think it is a law of nature whereas physicists are convinced that it is a mathematical theorem.”

HumorFunnyScienceNatureMysteryMathematicsMathLaws Of NatureLaws Of PhysicsPhysicistsMathematiciansTheoremHenri PoincaréPoincaré
Book:Statistical Independence in Probability, Analysis, and Number Theory
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“... there are those who believe that mathematics can sustain itself and grow without any further contact with anything outside itself, and those who believe that nature is still and always will be one of the main (if not the main) sources of mathematical inspiration. The first group is identified as "pure mathematicians" (though "purist" would be more adequate) while the second is, with equal inadequacy, referred to as "applied".”

IfsFirstsBelieveStillsInspirationWould BeGrowsGroupsSourcePureEqualMathematicsContactMathematicalMathematicianAdequateInadequacy
Author:Mark Kac
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“In recent years we have become much more preoccupied with streamlining and organizing our subject than with maintaining its overall vitality. If we are not careful, a great adventure of the mind will become yet another profession.”

IfsYearsMindSubjectsAdventureCarefulProfessionVitalityMaintainingGreat AdventureStreamlining
Book:Discrete Thoughts: Essays on Mathematics, Science and Philosophy
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