--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imagine a person with a gift of ridicule…" description: "\"Imagine a person with a gift of ridicule [He might say] First that a negative quantity has no logarithm; secondly that a negative quantity has no squar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17f/augustus-de-morgan-18916_circles_imagine-a-person-with-a-gift-of-ridicule_136734.jpg" --- # Imagine a person with a gift of ridicule \[He might say\]… ![“Imagine a person with a gift of ridicule [He might say] First that a negative quantity has no logarithm; secondly that a negative quantity has no square root; thirdly that the first non-existent is to the second as the circumference of a circle is to the diameter.” quote by Augustus De Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17f/augustus-de-morgan-18916_circles_imagine-a-person-with-a-gift-of-ridicule_136734.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17f/augustus-de-morgan-18916_circles_imagine-a-person-with-a-gift-of-ridicule_136734.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17f/augustus-de-morgan-18916_circles_imagine-a-person-with-a-gift-of-ridicule_136734.jpg) > “Imagine a person with a gift of ridicule \[He might say\] First that a negative quantity has no logarithm; secondly that a negative quantity has no square root; thirdly that the first non-existent is to the second as the circumference of a circle is to the diameter.” [Augustus De Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-de-morgan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ridiculing flawed reasoning by highlighting impossible mathematical operations and absurd analogies. **In simple terms:** Mocking nonsense arguments using impossible math. Key Takeaway Question assumptions and demand logical consistency. Themes logic critical thinking mathematics humor argumentation Mood skeptical amused critical Type philosophical humorous educational When to use this quote - debates - academic discussions - teaching - public speaking - media commentary Key Concepts paradox impossibility analogy Questions to Reflect On - How can we spot logical fallacies? - When does humor hinder understanding? A Different Perspective The humor may obscure the seriousness of the critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Gift Ridicule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift-ridicule-1555930/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative/) [Negative Quantity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-quantity-1555928/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Quantity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quantity/) [Ridicule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridicule/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) [Say Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-negative-507716/) [Secondly Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secondly-negative-1555929/) [Square roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/square-roots/) [Squares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squares/) ## Related quotes > [No one fully understands spinors. 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Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [If I can't get people to commit themselves on whether or not there is a square root of two, then I won't touch on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/if-i-can-t-get-people-to-commit-themselves-on-whether-or-not-there-is/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [The anceints devoted a lifetime to the study of arithmetic; it required days to extract a square root or to multiply two numbers together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry/the-anceints-devoted-a-lifetime-to-the-study-of-arithmetic-it/) [John Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry/) > [The square root of 69 is 8(ate) som'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/the-square-root-of-69-is-8-ate-som/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Square Roots creates campuses of climate-controlled, indoor, hydroponic vertical farms, right in the hearts of our biggest cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbal-musk/square-roots-creates-campuses-of-climate-controlled-indoor-hydroponic/) [Kimbal Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbal-musk/) > [Speaking of human computers, there is a guy named Art Benjamin, he's a human calculator. 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