Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Voltaire

Quote by Voltaire

“When we cannot use the compass of mathematics or the torch of experience...it is certain we cannot take a single step forward.”

Quote by Voltaire

Create image

Author

Voltaire
Voltaire

Voltaire, a French Enlightenment philosopher, writer, and thinker, was born on November 21, 1694, and died on May 30, 1778. He had a profound impact on philosophy, literature, and science in France and Europe with his sharp wit and critical spirit. more

You May Also Like

“Mathematicians need proofs to keep them honest. All technical areas of human activity need reality checks. It is not enough to believe that something works, that it is a good way to proceed, or even that it is true. We need to know why it's true. Otherwise, we won't know anything at all.”

KnowsWayNeedsBelieveHumansEnoughRealityHonestActivityAreasMathematicsProofChecksMathematicianGood WayHuman Activity
Book:Letters to a Young Mathematician
Create image

“I don't want to convince you that mathematics is useful. It is, but utility is not the only criterion for value to humanity. Above all, I want to convince you that mathematics is beautiful, surprising, enjoyable, and interesting. In fact, mathematics is the closest that we humans get to true magic. How else to describe the patterns in our heads that - by some mysterious agency - capture patterns of the universe around us? Mathematics connects ideas that otherwise seem totally unrelated, revealing deep similarities that subsequently show up in nature.”

WantHumansIdeasFactsShowsSeemsBeautifulValuesHumanityUniverseInterestingEducationMagicMathematicsPatternsMathMysteriousAgencyConvinceCaptureSurprisingClosestRevealingEnjoyableCriteriaUtilitySimilarity
Author:Ian Stewart
Create image

“Our teaching of mathematics revolves around a fundamental conflict. Rightly or wrongly, students are required to master a series of mathematical concepts and techniques, and anything that might divert them from doing so is deemed unnecessary. Putting mathematics into its cultural context, explaining what is has done for humanity, telling the story of its historical development, or pointing out the wealth of unsolved problems or even the existence of topics that do not make it into school textbooks leaves less time to prepare for the exam. So most of these things aren't discussed.”

DoneStoriesProblemMightSchoolHumanityWealthExistenceEducationTeachingStudentsMastersDevelopmentConflictConceptsMathematicsFundamentalsHistoricalSeriesMathTechniqueMathematicalUnnecessaryTopicsPointingExplainingTextbooksExamUnsolved Problems
Author:Ian Stewart
Create image