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Quote by Mark Kac

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Discrete Thoughts: Essays on Mathematics, Science and Philosophy

This book delves into the intricate relationships between mathematics, science, and philosophy through a series of essays. It examines the conceptual foundations of these disciplines and their implications for understanding the world. more

Author

Mark Kac

Mark Kac, born on August 16, 1914, in Poland, and died on October 25, 1984, in the United States, was a renowned mathematician. He made significant contributions to the fields of probability theory, statistics, and mathematical physics. more

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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".”

“It is a matter for considerable regret that Fermat, who cultivated the theory of numbers with so much success, did not leave us with the proofs of the theorems he discovered. In truth, Messrs Euler and Lagrange, who have not disdained this kind of research, have proved most of these theorems, and have even substituted extensive theories for the isolated propositions of Fermat. But there are several proofs which have resisted their efforts.”