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Quotes from The Apprenticeship of a Mathematician — André Weil

1906–1998 France

← All quotes by André Weil

4 quotes

At the time of our early work these notions cast new light upon subjects which were still shrouded in confusion: even the meaning of the term "isomorphism" varied from one theory to another.

The Apprenticeship of a Mathematician (1992)

Is it mere coincidence that in India Pāṇini's invention of grammar had preceded that of decimal notation and negative numbers, and that later on, both grammar and algebra reached the unparalleled heights for which the medieval civilization of the Arabic-speaking world is known?

The Apprenticeship of a Mathematician (1992)

One day it occurred to me to measure the speed with which such rumors were propagated. All I had to do was to start one - the more preposterous the better - at one end of the stadium, and then hasten to the other end to await the results.

The Apprenticeship of a Mathematician (1992)

Hopf, back from Amsterdam, was teaching Brouwer's topology. He had helped arrange lodgings for me quite close to where he lived, rather far from the center of town, and together we would take the long tram ride to the university. One day I asked him what he would do when he got tired of topology. He replied in all seriousness: "But I'll never get tired of topology!"

The Apprenticeship of a Mathematician (1992)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: André Weil (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.