Calculus Quote by David Berlinski
![“The definition of a limit is essentially his [Cauchy's] creation and is as much of a miracle as those fantastic Swiss clocks of the period in which hundreds of gleaming cogs are made to celebrate not only the time and date but the phases of the moon.” quote by David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/340/david-berlinski-16009_calculus_the-definition-of-a-limit-is-essentially_1015218.jpg)
“The definition of a limit is essentially his [Cauchy's] creation and is as much of a miracle as those fantastic Swiss clocks of the period in which hundreds of gleaming cogs are made to celebrate not only the time and date but the phases of the moon.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Devil’s Delusion by David Berlinski, 2008
Limits in mathematics are human inventions that reveal deep order, akin to precise clocks of their era.
In simple terms: Limits are human-made tools showing order.
Key Takeaway
Appreciate the elegance of mathematical constructs.
Themes
mathematics
history
philosophy
Mood
reflective
intellectual
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- studying calculus
- teaching math
- appreciating scientific history
- reflecting on scientific progress
Key Concepts
limit concept
human invention
precision
Questions to Reflect On
- How do limits shape our understanding of continuity?
- What does comparing limits to clocks reveal about human ingenuity?
A Different Perspective
Limits are abstractions, not physical entities.
![“Whatever the degree to which Darwin may have “misled science into a dead end,” the biologist Shi V. Liu observed in commenting on Koonin’s paper, “we may still appreciate the role of Darwin in helping scientists [win an] upper hand in fighting against the creationists.” quote by David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0de/david-berlinski-16009_dead-end_whatever-the-degree-to-which-darwin-may_342124.jpg)
![“Tell them you came, and saw, and looked into my eyes and saw the shadow of the guard receding. Thoughts in time and out of season, the hitchinker stood by the side of the road and levelled his thumb in the calm calculus of reason. [...] Why does my mind circle around you? Why do planets wonder…” quote by Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9ae/jim-morrison-1692_bird_tell-them-you-came-and-saw-and-looked-in_18280.jpg)
