“Nature … has made it impossible for us to have any communication from this earth with the other great bodies of the universe, in our present state; and it is highly possible that he has likewise cut off all communication betwixt the other planets, and betwixt the different systems.… We observe, in all of them, enough to raise our curiosity, but not to satisfy it … It does not appear to be suitable to the wisdom that shines throughout all nature, to suppose that we should see so far, and have our curiosity so much raised … only to be disappointed at the end … This, therefore, naturally leads us to consider our present state as only the dawn or beginning of our existence, and as a state of preparation or probation for farther advancement.…”
Quote by Colin Maclaurin
Author
Colin Maclaurin (1698-1746) was a distinguished Scottish mathematician and a leading figure in the Newton school of mathematics. He became a professor of mathematics at Marischal College Aberdeen at the remarkably young age of 19. Maclaurin made significant contributions to calculus, geometry, and algebra, and is best remembered for the Maclaurin series, a special case of the Taylor series. His influential work "Treatise on Fluxions" (1742) systematically developed Newton's method of fluxions and addressed issues of convergence. He also contributed to geodesy, astronomy, and physics, winning prizes from the French Academy of Sciences. As a professor at the University of Edinburgh, he trained generations of mathematicians and played a pivotal role in the Scottish Enlightenment's scientific advancement. He died on June 14, 1746, at age 48. more
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