---
title: "1 Mathematics Life Quotes By Michael Atiyah"
description: "1 Mathematics Life quotes by Michael Atiyah. Plus more from Michael Atiyah and more Mathematics Life sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/michael-atiyah-35333_art_in-the-broad-light-of-day-mathematicians_199734.jpg"
---

> [In the broad light of day mathematicians check their equations and their proofs, leaving no stone unturned in their search for rigour. But, at night, under the full moon, they dream, they float among the stars and wonder at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/in-the-broad-light-of-day-mathematicians-check-their-equations-and/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/michael-atiyah-35333_art_in-the-broad-light-of-day-mathematicians_199734.jpg)

## More by Michael Atiyah

> [No one fully understands spinors. Their algebra is formally understood but their general significance is mysterious. In some sense they describe the 'square root'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/no-one-fully-understands-spinors-their-algebra-is-formally-understood/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [If theory is the role of the architect, then such beautiful proofs are the role of the craftsman. Of course, as with the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/if-theory-is-the-role-of-the-architect-then-such-beautiful-proofs-are/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [The aim of mathematics is to explain as much as possible in simple terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/the-aim-of-mathematics-is-to-explain-as-much-as-possible-in-simple/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [In the broad light of day mathematicians check their equations and their proofs, leaving no stone unturned in their search for rigour. But, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/in-the-broad-light-of-day-mathematicians-check-their-equations-and/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [Everything useful in mathematics has been devised for a purpose. Even if you don't know it, the guy who did it first, he knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/everything-useful-in-mathematics-has-been-devised-for-a-purpose-even/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [There is no clear-cut distinction between example and theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/there-is-no-clear-cut-distinction-between-example-and-theory/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [I think it is said that Gauss had ten different proofs for the law of quadratic reciprocity. Any good theorem should have several proofs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/i-think-it-is-said-that-gauss-had-ten-different-proofs-for-the-law-of/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [Would you rather be deaf or blind?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/would-you-rather-be-deaf-or-blind/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [I'm not the sort of person who does my mathematics writing on paper. I do that at the last stage of the game. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/i-m-not-the-sort-of-person-who-does-my-mathematics-writing-on-paper-i/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [I dislike frontiers, political or intellectual, and I find that ignoring them is an essential catalyst for creative thought. Ideas should flow without hindrance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/i-dislike-frontiers-political-or-intellectual-and-i-find-that/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [It is hard to communicate understanding because that is something you get by living with a problem for a long time. You study it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/it-is-hard-to-communicate-understanding-because-that-is-something-you/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [Any good theorem should have several proofs, the more the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/any-good-theorem-should-have-several-proofs-the-more-the-better/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

> [If you attack a mathematical problem directly, very often you come to a dead end, nothing you do seems to work and you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/if-you-attack-a-mathematical-problem-directly-very-often-you-come-to/)

[Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "ItemList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-life/michael-atiyah/#itemlist",
            "name": "1 Mathematics Life Quotes By Michael Atiyah",
            "numberOfItems": 1,
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "In the broad light of day mathematicians check their equations and their proofs, leaving no stone unturned in their search for rigour. But, at night, under the full moon, they dream, they float among the stars and wonder at the miracle of the heavens. They are inspired. Without dreams there is no art, no mathematics, no life.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Michael Atiyah"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/in-the-broad-light-of-day-mathematicians-check-their-equations-and/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/michael-atiyah-35333_art_in-the-broad-light-of-day-mathematicians_199734.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/michael-atiyah-35333_art_in-the-broad-light-of-day-mathematicians_199734.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/michael-atiyah-35333_art_in-the-broad-light-of-day-mathematicians_199734.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“In the broad light of day mathematicians check their equations and their proofs, leaving no stone unturned…” — Michael Atiyah",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "CollectionPage",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-life/michael-atiyah/#webpage",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-life/michael-atiyah/",
            "name": "Mathematics Life Quotes by Michael Atiyah",
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "mainEntity": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-life/michael-atiyah/#itemlist"
            },
            "primaryImageOfPage": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/michael-atiyah-35333_art_in-the-broad-light-of-day-mathematicians_199734.jpg"
            },
            "description": "1 Mathematics Life quotes by Michael Atiyah. Plus more from Michael Atiyah and more Mathematics Life sayings from other authors.",
            "breadcrumb": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-life/michael-atiyah/#breadcrumb"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-life/michael-atiyah/#breadcrumb",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Topics",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Mathematics Life",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-life/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 5,
                    "name": "Michael Atiyah",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-life/michael-atiyah/"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```