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Quote by Terence Tao

“... it can often be profitable to try a technique on a problem even if you know in advance that it cannot possibly solve the problem completely.”

Quote by Terence Tao

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Terence Tao
Terence Tao

Terence Tao is a renowned mathematician known for his work in harmonic analysis, partial differential equations, and combinatorics. Born on July 17, 1975, Tao has achieved significant recognition in the mathematical community for his groundbreaking contributions. more

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“The real irony is that the view of infinity as some forbidden zone or road to insanity - which view was very old and powerful and haunted math for 2000+ years - is precisely what Cantor's own work overturned. Saying that infinity drove Cantor mad is sort of like mourning St. George's loss to the dragon: it's not only wrong but insulting.”

“Combinatorics is an honest subject. No adèles, no sigma-algebras. You count balls in a box, and you either have the right number or you haven't. You get the feeling that the result you have discovered is forever, because it's concrete. Other branches of mathematics are not so clear-cut. Functional analysis of infinite-dimensional spaces is never fully convincing; you don't get a feeling of having done an honest day's work. Don't get the wrong idea - combinatorics is not just putting balls into boxes. Counting finite sets can be a highbrow undertaking, with sophisticated techniques.”