Abstract Quote by Eric Temple Bell
““These estimates may well be enhanced by one from F. Klein (1849-1925), the leading German mathematician of the last quarter of the nineteenth century. 'Mathematics in general is fundamentally the science of self-evident things.' ... If mathematics is indeed the science of self-evident things, mathematicians are a phenomenally stupid lot to waste the tons of good paper they do in proving the fact. Mathematics is abstract and it is hard, and any assertion that it is simple is true only in a severely technical sense—that of the modern postulational method which, as a matter of fact, was exploited by Euclid . The assumptions from which mathematics starts are simple; the rest is not.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Men of Mathematics, 1937
Mathematics is fundamentally about self‑evident truths, yet its practice is complex and often abstract, making simple claims misleading.
In simple terms: Math is about obvious truths but is actually complex.
Key Takeaway
Respect the depth and rigor of mathematical work.
Themes
mathematics
philosophy
complexity
abstraction
truth
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- academic research
- advanced coursework
- theoretical physics
Key Concepts
foundations
logic
axioms
proof techniques
historical perspective
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do mathematicians pursue abstract problems?
- How does abstraction aid understanding?
A Different Perspective
Simplicity can obscure true difficulty.
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