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Mathematics is one of the most basic -- and most ancient -- types of knowledge. Yet the details of its historical development remain obscure to all but a few specialists.

— Ivor Grattan-Guinness Companion encyclopedia of the history and philosophy of the mathematical sciences (2003)

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Mathematics

More quotes by Ivor Grattan-Guinness

The teaching of axioms should come after conveying the theory in a looser version.

The Rainbow of Mathematics: A History of the Mathematical Sciences (2000)

From the 3rd century onwards, orthodox Christianity, based on a Hebrew story and worshipping the Jew Jesus, also led many campaigns of anti-Semitism.

The Rainbow of Mathematics: A History of the Mathematical Sciences (2000)

In addition, the teaching of theories from axioms, or some close imitation of them such as the basic laws of an algebra, is usually an educational disaster.

The Rainbow of Mathematics: A History of the Mathematical Sciences (2000)

It [ non-Euclidean geometry ] would be ranked among the most famous achievements of the entire [nineteenth] century, but up to 1860 the interest was rather slight.

The Rainbow of Mathematics: A History of the Mathematical Sciences (2000)

Non-Newtonian calculi... have considerable potential as alternative approaches to traditional problems.

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Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist.

Kenneth Boulding to Kenneth Boulding in: United States. Congress. House (1973)

If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is: infinite.

William Blake The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1790)

Pure mathematics consists entirely of assertions to the effect that, if such and such a proposition is true of anything, then such and such another proposition is true of that thing.

Bertrand Russell

The land of easy mathematics where he who works adds up and he who retires subtracts.

Núria Añó

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Ivor Grattan-Guinness (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.