--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The mathematician may be compared to a…" description: "\"The mathematician may be compared to a designer of garments, who is utterly oblivious of the creatures whom his garments may fit. To be sure, his art o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/george-dantzig-45974_art_the-mathematician-may-be-compared-to-a-d_340422.jpg" --- # The mathematician may be compared to a designer of… ![“The mathematician may be compared to a designer of garments, who is utterly oblivious of the creatures whom his garments may fit. To be sure, his art originated in the necessity for clothing such creatures, but this was long ago; to this day a shape will occasionally appear which will fit into the…” quote by George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/george-dantzig-45974_art_the-mathematician-may-be-compared-to-a-d_340422.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/george-dantzig-45974_art_the-mathematician-may-be-compared-to-a-d_340422.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/george-dantzig-45974_art_the-mathematician-may-be-compared-to-a-d_340422.jpg) > “The mathematician may be compared to a designer of garments, who is utterly oblivious of the creatures whom his garments may fit. To be sure, his art originated in the necessity for clothing such creatures, but this was long ago; to this day a shape will occasionally appear which will fit into the garment as if the garment had been made for it. Then there is no end of surprise and delight.” [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A mathematician’s work often unintentionally fits unforeseen problems, revealing surprise when a solution matches a previously unrelated need. **In simple terms:** Math can unexpectedly solve new problems. Key Takeaway Look for unexpected applications of your work. Themes serendipity innovation interdisciplinary surprise Mood curious optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research labs - product development - theoretical modeling Key Concepts pattern recognition emergent properties design theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you design for serendipitous matches? - What structures help notice unexpected fits? A Different Perspective Reliance on chance can overlook systematic discovery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Originated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-originated-3165152/) [Clothing Creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothing-creatures-3165153/) [Clothings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothings/) [Creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creatures/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Designer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designer/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Garments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garments/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Mathematical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematical/) [Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician/) [Mathematician Compared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician-compared-3165150/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Mathematics by mathematicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-by-mathematicians/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Oblivious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oblivious/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Shape Occasionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shape-occasionally-3165151/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [This day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-day/) ## Related quotes > [All important things in art have always originated from the deepest feeling about the mystery of Being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-important-things-in-art-have-always-originated-from-the-deepest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The mathematician's patterns, like the painter's or the poet's, must be beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-hardy/the-mathematician-s-patterns-like-the-painter-s-or-the-poet-s-must-be/) [G. H. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-hardy/) > [But mathematics is the sister, as well as the servant, of the arts and is touched with the same madness and genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marston-morse/but-mathematics-is-the-sister-as-well-as-the-servant-of-the-arts-and-2/) [Marston Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marston-morse/) > [Mathematics is the tool specially suited for dealing with abstract concepts of any kind and there is no limit to its power in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dirac/mathematics-is-the-tool-specially-suited-for-dealing-with-abstract/) [Paul Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dirac/) > [What is this frog and mouse battle among the mathematicians?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/what-is-this-frog-and-mouse-battle-among-the-mathematicians/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I was x years old in the year x2.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-de-morgan/i-was-x-years-old-in-the-year-x2/) [Augustus De Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-de-morgan/) > [Mathematics is not a deductive science, that's a cliché ... What you do is trial and error, experimentation, guesswork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/mathematics-is-not-a-deductive-science-that-s-a-clich-what-you-do-is/) [Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/) > [If only I had the Theorems! Then I should find the proofs easily enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-riemann/if-only-i-had-the-theorems-then-i-should-find-the-proofs-easily-enough/) [Bernhard Riemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-riemann/) > [Mathematics - the unshaken Foundation of Sciences, and the plentiful Fountain of Advantage to human affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-barrow/mathematics-the-unshaken-foundation-of-sciences-and-the-plentiful/) [Isaac Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-barrow/) > [A mathematician is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat which isn't there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/a-mathematician-is-a-blind-man-in-a-dark-room-looking-for-a-black-cat/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [Mathematics is not only real, but it is the only reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/mathematics-is-not-only-real-but-it-is-the-only-reality/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [You know we all became mathematicians for the same reason: we were lazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-rosenlicht/you-know-we-all-became-mathematicians-for-the-same-reason-we-were-lazy/) [Maxwell Rosenlicht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-rosenlicht/) > [Where there is matter, there is geometry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/where-there-is-matter-there-is-geometry/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [Mathematics is the supreme judge; from its decisions there is no appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-dantzig/mathematics-is-the-supreme-judge-from-its-decisions-there-is-no-appeal/) [Tobias Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-dantzig/) > [How happy the lot of the mathematician. He is judged solely by his peers, and the standard is so high that no colleague or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/how-happy-the-lot-of-the-mathematician-he-is-judged-solely-by-his/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) ## More by George Dantzig > [If the system exhibits a structure which can be represented by a mathematical equivalent, called a mathematical model, and if the objective can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/if-the-system-exhibits-a-structure-which-can-be-represented-by-a/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [True optimization is the revolutionary contribution of modern research to decision processes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/true-optimization-is-the-revolutionary-contribution-of-modern/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [. . . it is interesting to note that the original problem that started my research is still outstanding - namely the problem of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/it-is-interesting-to-note-that-the-original-problem-that-started-my/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [Industrial production, the flow of resources in the economy, the exertion of military effort in a war theater-all are complexes of numerous interrelated activities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/industrial-production-the-flow-of-resources-in-the-economy-the/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [Linear programming is viewed as a revolutionary development giving man the ability to state general objectives and to find, by means of the simplex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/linear-programming-is-viewed-as-a-revolutionary-development-giving/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [Industrial production, the flow of resources in the economy, the exertion of military effort in a war, the management of finances --all require the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/industrial-production-the-flow-of-resources-in-the-economy-the-2/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [Linear programming can be viewed as part of a great revolutionary development which has given mankind the ability to state general goals and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/linear-programming-can-be-viewed-as-part-of-a-great-revolutionary/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) [Explore all 8 George Dantzig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The mathematician may be compared to a designer of garments, who is utterly oblivious of the creatures whom his garments may fit. 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