Quotes

Quote 9 of 9

It is undeniable that a good deal of elementary mathematics--and I use
the word "elementary" in the sense in which professional
mathematicians use it, in which it includes, for example, a fair
working knowledge of the differential and integral calculus--has
considerable practical utility.  These parts of mathematics are, on
the whole, rather dull; they are just the parts which have least
aesthetic value.  The "real" mathematics of the "real" mathematicians,
the mathematics of Fermat and Euler and Gauss and Abel and Riemann, is
almost wholly "useless" (and this is as true of "applied" as or "pure"
mathematics).  It is not possible to justify the life of any genuine
professional mathematician on the ground of the "utility" of his work.

Part 21, pp. 119-120

Tags: differentialandintegralcalculus professionalmathematician elementarymathematics aestheticvalue fermat euler gauss workingknowledge riemann abel differential