Common Quote by Gian-Carlo Rota

Every lecture should state one main point and repeat it over and over, like a theme with variations. An audience is like a herd…

— Gian-Carlo Rota

God created infinity, and man, unable to understand infinity, had to invent finite sets.

— Gian-Carlo Rota

Philosophers and psychiatrists should explain why it is that we mathematicians are in the habit of systematically erasing our footsteps. Scientists have always looked…

— Gian-Carlo Rota

The lack of real contact between mathematics and biology is either a tragedy, a scandal or a challenge, it is hard to decide which.

— Gian-Carlo Rota

The apex of mathematical achievement occurs when two or more fields which were thought to be entirely unrelated turn out to be closely intertwined.…

— Gian-Carlo Rota

[In mathematics] There are two kinds of mistakes. There are fatal mistakes that destroy a theory, but there are also contingent ones, which are…

— Gian-Carlo Rota

Every field has its taboos. In algebraic geometry the taboos are (1) writing a draft that can be followed by anyone but two or…

— Gian-Carlo Rota

Running overtime is the one unforgivable error a lecturer can make. After fifty minutes (one microcentury as von Neumann used to say) everybody's attention…

— Gian-Carlo Rota

Nature imitates mathematics.

— Gian-Carlo Rota

Mathematics is the study of analogies between analogies. All science is. Scientists want to show that things that don't look alike are really the…

— Gian-Carlo Rota

If we have no idea why a statement is true, we can still prove it by induction.

— Gian-Carlo Rota

Mathematicians also make terrible salesmen. Physicists can discover the same thing as a mathematician and say 'We've discovered a great new law of nature.…

— Gian-Carlo Rota