--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There should be no such thing as boring…" description: "\"There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.\" — Edsger Dijkstra" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/edsger-dijkstra-5102_boring_there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring_1753032.png" --- # There should be no such thing as boring mathematics. ![“There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.” quote by Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/edsger-dijkstra-5102_boring_there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring_1753032.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/edsger-dijkstra-5102_boring_there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring_1753032.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/edsger-dijkstra-5102_boring_there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring_1753032.png) > “There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.” [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mathematics should be engaging; boredom indicates a failure to connect concepts to curiosity. **In simple terms:** Math can be exciting. Key Takeaway Seek wonder in problem solving. Themes education mathematics curiosity Mood inspired thoughtful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - classrooms - self‑study - research labs Key Concepts learning theory pedagogy Questions to Reflect On - What makes math interesting to you? - How can teaching methods spark curiosity? A Different Perspective Some find math inherently abstract. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring/) [Boring Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring-mathematics-1623321/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Thing Boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-boring-1574693/) ## Related quotes > [Equations are just the boring part of mathematics. I attempt to see things in terms of geometry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/equations-are-just-the-boring-part-of-mathematics-i-attempt-to-see/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Allowing the computer to do one thing is only boring if you don't use the time that the computer saves you to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-hawtin/allowing-the-computer-to-do-one-thing-is-only-boring-if-you-don-t-use/) [Richie Hawtin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-hawtin/) > [Doing the same thing over and over again can be boring, I want to explore as much as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prateik-babbar/doing-the-same-thing-over-and-over-again-can-be-boring-i-want-to/) [Prateik Babbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prateik-babbar/) > [There's only one thing more boring than listening to other people's dreams, and that's listening to their problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-townsend/there-s-only-one-thing-more-boring-than-listening-to-other-people-s/) [Sue Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-townsend/) > [I find the whole feminist thing very boring. They are so much on the defensive that they dare not love a man because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-rigg/i-find-the-whole-feminist-thing-very-boring-they-are-so-much-on-the/) [Diana Rigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-rigg/) > [Sometimes the most positive thing you can be in a boring society is absolutely negative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/sometimes-the-most-positive-thing-you-can-be-in-a-boring-society-is/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [Recently I read the stories I wrote in my early 20s, to put in a volume. And here is this brittle young woman, writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/recently-i-read-the-stories-i-wrote-in-my-early-20s-to-put-in-a/) [Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/) > [I find that each job that I do, the thing that gets me there is when I'm not smarter than it, when I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-williams/i-find-that-each-job-that-i-do-the-thing-that-gets-me-there-is-when-i/) [Michelle Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-williams/) > [I am a fan of all genres. My big thing is to serve the purpose of the script and what the director wants. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-crews/i-am-a-fan-of-all-genres-my-big-thing-is-to-serve-the-purpose-of-the/) [Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-crews/) > [Something is wrong if workers do not look around each day, find things that are tedious or boring, and then rewrite the procedures. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taiichi-ohno/something-is-wrong-if-workers-do-not-look-around-each-day-find-things/) [Taiichi Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taiichi-ohno/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [ \[I\]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [Geometry, which should only obey Physics, when united with it sometimes commands it. If it happens that the question which we wish to examine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/geometry-which-should-only-obey-physics-when-united-with-it-sometimes/) [Jean le Rond d'Alembert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/) > [Because YouTube is focused on a lot of different types of content at the same time, it has many opportunities, and the hardest thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kyncl/because-youtube-is-focused-on-a-lot-of-different-types-of-content-at/) [Robert Kyncl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kyncl/) > [I don't think we should tell them what we're going to do in advance. Let them think. Worry. Wonder. Uncertainty is the most chilling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-a-walters/i-don-t-think-we-should-tell-them-what-we-re-going-to-do-in-advance/) [Vernon A. Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-a-walters/) ## More by Edsger Dijkstra > [Production speed is severely slowed down if one works with half-time people who have other obligations as well. This is at least a factor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/production-speed-is-severely-slowed-down-if-one-works-with-half-time/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [The computing scientist's main challenge is not to get confused by the complexities of his own making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/the-computing-scientist-s-main-challenge-is-not-to-get-confused-by/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [Probably I am very naive, but I also think I prefer to remain so, at least for the time being and perhaps for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/probably-i-am-very-naive-but-i-also-think-i-prefer-to-remain-so-at/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [In the good old days physicists repeated each other's experiments, just to be sure. Today they stick to FORTRAN, so that they can share…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/in-the-good-old-days-physicists-repeated-each-other-s-experiments/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [Don't compete with me: firstly, I have more experience, and secondly, I have chosen the weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/don-t-compete-with-me-firstly-i-have-more-experience-and-secondly-i/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/computer-science-is-no-more-about-computers-than-astronomy-is-about/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [The use of anthropomorphic terminology forces you linguistically to adopt an operational view. And it makes it practically impossible to argue about programs independently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/the-use-of-anthropomorphic-terminology-forces-you-linguistically-to/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [Teaching to unsuspecting youngsters the effective use of formal methods is one of the joys of life because it is so extremely rewarding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/teaching-to-unsuspecting-youngsters-the-effective-use-of-formal/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [ Please don't fall into the trap of believing that I am terribly dogmatical about \[the goto statement\]. I have the uncomfortable feeling that others… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-that-i-am-terribly/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [Brainpower is by far our scarcest resource.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/brainpower-is-by-far-our-scarcest-resource/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [Programming in Basic causes brain damage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/programming-in-basic-causes-brain-damage/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [Several people have told me that my inability to suffer fools gladly is one of my main weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/several-people-have-told-me-that-my-inability-to-suffer-fools-gladly/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [I now have had my foggy crystal ball for quite a long time. Its predictions are invariably gloomy and usually correct, but I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/i-now-have-had-my-foggy-crystal-ball-for-quite-a-long-time-its/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [In this respect a program is like a poem: you cannot write a poem without writing it. Yet people talk about programming as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/in-this-respect-a-program-is-like-a-poem-you-cannot-write-a-poem/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [About the use of language: it is impossible to sharpen a pencil with a blunt axe. It is equally vain to try to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/about-the-use-of-language-it-is-impossible-to-sharpen-a-pencil-with-a/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Explore all 103 Edsger Dijkstra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) ## More Boring quotes > [Normal is so Boring!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/normal-is-so-boring/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want easy success. It's boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudeep/i-don-t-want-easy-success-it-s-boring/) [Sudeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudeep/) > [I'd be very controversial if I said why, and I don't do controversial anymore. That's too passé. So last year. Being controversial is boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/i-d-be-very-controversial-if-i-said-why-and-i-don-t-do-controversial/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Life is what you make it¦If one refuses to use ones imagination..it will be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-what-you-make-it-if-one-refuses-to-use-ones-imagination-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm bored of being bored because being bored is very boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachithra/i-m-bored-of-being-bored-because-being-bored-is-very-boring/) [Sachithra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachithra/) > [The films I find boring are the ones that have no space for the audience's misconceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-decker/the-films-i-find-boring-are-the-ones-that-have-no-space-for-the/) [Josephine Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-decker/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I've always felt that dark lyrics with dark music is pretty useless. Maybe that's a strong statement - not useless, but for me, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-ve-always-felt-that-dark-lyrics-with-dark-music-is-pretty-useless/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [Something is wrong if workers do not look around each day, find things that are tedious or boring, and then rewrite the procedures. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taiichi-ohno/something-is-wrong-if-workers-do-not-look-around-each-day-find-things/) [Taiichi Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taiichi-ohno/) > [Plumbing is usually boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/plumbing-is-usually-boring/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/if-something-is-boring-after-two-minutes-try-it-for-four-if-still/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Acting is an escape from the boring person that I am in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/acting-is-an-escape-from-the-boring-person-that-i-am-in-real-life/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) [Browse all 3,123 Boring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edsger Dijkstra" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring-mathematics/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boring" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring-mathematics/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/edsger-dijkstra-5102_boring_there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring_1753032.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/edsger-dijkstra-5102_boring_there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring_1753032.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/edsger-dijkstra-5102_boring_there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring_1753032.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.” — Edsger Dijkstra", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "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": "Edsger Dijkstra", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There should be no such thing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring-mathematics/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/there-should-be-no-such-thing-as-boring-mathematics/#breadcrumb" }, { "@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 } } ] } ```