James Newman Quotes

The advantage is that mathematics is a field in which one's blunders tend to show very clearly and can be corrected or erased with a stroke of the pencil.

But there is another reason for the high repute of mathematics: it is mathematics that offers the exact natural sciences a certain measure of security which, without mathematics, they could not attain.

Mathematics allows for no hypocrisy and no vagueness.

Beauty is the first test: there is no permanent place in the world for ugly mathematics.

There's no sense in being precise when you don't even know what you're talking about.

It is better to understand little than to misunderstand a lot.

Every speaker has a mouth; An arrangement rather neat. Sometimes it's filled with wisdom. Sometimes it's filled with feet.

There is no greater impediment to the advancement of knowledge than the ambiguity of words.

I cite my vouchers to every passage and I have done my utmost, first to find out the truth, and then to relate it in the clearest order. I have laboured after accuracy; and yet I dare not say that I am without mistake; nor do I desire the reader to conceal any he may possibly find.

The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom, but to set a limit to infinite error.

I have no interest in being wrong, so if I am, please correct me. I don't want to be wrong. There's nothing in it for you or for me to be wrong.

Because Mathematicians frequently make use of Time, they ought to have a distinct idea of the meaning of that Word, otherwise they are Quacks.

C'este donc par l'étude des mathématiques, et seulement par elle, que l'on peut se faire une idée juste et approfondie de ce que c'est qu'une science.

The arithmetical symbols are written diagrams and the geometrical figures are graphic formulas.

Too clear, too clean. The problem was precision, perfection.

Still more astonishing is that world of rigorous fantasy which we call mathematics.

Pedagogically, we need definitions and borders. They help us get our heads around what we're talking about.

Mathematics has no symbols for confused ideas.

Know what you're talking about.

One of the nice things about math and science is it’s obvious, you get the answer or you don’t get the answer.

A mathematical proof must be perspicuous.

That's all we have, finally, the words, and they had better be the right ones.

Slender certainty is better than portentous falsehood.

A definition may be very exact, and yet go but a very little way towards informing us of the nature of the thing defined.

There's math, and everything else is debatable!