--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The introduction of numbers as…" description: "\"The introduction of numbers as coordinates is an act of violence.\" — Hermann Weyl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/hermann-weyl-16709_acts-of-violence_the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinat_857730.png" --- # The introduction of numbers as coordinates is an act of… ![“The introduction of numbers as coordinates is an act of violence.” quote by Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/hermann-weyl-16709_acts-of-violence_the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinat_857730.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/hermann-weyl-16709_acts-of-violence_the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinat_857730.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/hermann-weyl-16709_acts-of-violence_the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinat_857730.png) > “The introduction of numbers as coordinates is an act of violence.” [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing mathematical coordinates as an act of violence highlights how abstract systems can dominate and constrain natural perception. **In simple terms:** Numbers can dominate perception. Key Takeaway Question the impact of abstract systems. Themes science philosophy abstraction Mood critical inquisitive Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - urban planning - data visualization - AI modeling Key Concepts mathematical ontology cognitive framing Questions to Reflect On - What is lost when we reduce reality to numbers? - How can we humanize data? A Different Perspective Abstract tools may ignore lived experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-violence-617248/) [Acts of violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-of-violence/) [Coordinates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coordinates/) [Coordinates Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coordinates-act-819118/) [Introduction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/introduction/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Numbers Coordinates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers-coordinates-819117/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [The introduction of numbers as coordinates by reference to the particular division scheme of the open one-dimensional continuum is an act of violence whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinates-by-reference-to-the/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [The cost of growth is always a small act of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-cost-of-growth-is-always-a-small-act-of-violence/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The attention of the media is only caught by acts of violence... so I must perform this act of violence against myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-change/the-attention-of-the-media-is-only-caught-by-acts-of-violence-so-i/) [Kathy Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-change/) > [When a trans woman gets called a man, that is an act of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/when-a-trans-woman-gets-called-a-man-that-is-an-act-of-violence/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [One act of violence takes four generations to heal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/one-act-of-violence-takes-four-generations-to-heal/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I have yet to see a serious act of violence that was not provoked by the experience of feeling shamed and humiliated, disrespected and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilligan/i-have-yet-to-see-a-serious-act-of-violence-that-was-not-provoked-by-2/) [James Gilligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gilligan/) > [I think people are propelled towards violence, and what propels them is much more interesting than the actual act of violence itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-farrell/i-think-people-are-propelled-towards-violence-and-what-propels-them/) [Colin Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-farrell/) > [War is an act of violence pushed to its utmost limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-an-act-of-violence-pushed-to-its-utmost-limits/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [It takes four generations to recover from every act of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-adamson/it-takes-four-generations-to-recover-from-every-act-of-violence/) [Rebecca Adamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-adamson/) > [War is an act of violence pushed to its utmost bounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-an-act-of-violence-pushed-to-its-utmost-bounds/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [We know we can't stop every act of violence, every act of evil in the world, but maybe we could try to stop one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-know-we-can-t-stop-every-act-of-violence-every-act-of-evil-in-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [War therefore is an act of violence to compel our opponent to fulfill our will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-therefore-is-an-act-of-violence-to-compel-our-opponent-to-fulfill/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [An unjust law in itself is an act of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/an-unjust-law-in-itself-is-an-act-of-violence/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Every act of violence is also a message that needs to be understood. (23-24)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/every-act-of-violence-is-also-a-message-that-needs-to-be-understood/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“An act of violence, no matter how small, can never be justified if it can be avoided.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/an-act-of-violence-no-matter-how-small-can-never-be-justified-if-it/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) ## More by Hermann Weyl > [For mathematics, even to the logical forms in which it moves, is entirely dependent on the concept of natural number.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/for-mathematics-even-to-the-logical-forms-in-which-it-moves-is/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [Mathematics has the inhuman quality of starlight, brilliant and sharp, but cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/mathematics-has-the-inhuman-quality-of-starlight-brilliant-and-sharp/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [The introduction of numbers as coordinates by reference to the particular division scheme of the open one-dimensional continuum is an act of violence whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinates-by-reference-to-the/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [“Our generation is witness to a development of physical knowledge such as has not been seen since the days of Kepler, Galileo and Newton,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/our-generation-is-witness-to-a-development-of-physical-knowledge-such/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [“the problem is then to develop a theory of invariance with respect to arbitrary linear transformations, in which, however, in contra-distinction to the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-problem-is-then-to-develop-a-theory-of-invariance-with-respect-to/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [Before you generalize, formalize, and axiomatize there must be mathematical substance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/before-you-generalize-formalize-and-axiomatize-there-must-be/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [The whole is always more, is more capable of a much greater variety of wave states, than the combination of its parts. ... In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-whole-is-always-more-is-more-capable-of-a-much-greater-variety-of/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [You can not apply mathematics as long as words still becloud reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/you-can-not-apply-mathematics-as-long-as-words-still-becloud-reality/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [Not only in geometry, but to a still more astonishing degree in physics, has it become more and more evident that as soon as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/not-only-in-geometry-but-to-a-still-more-astonishing-degree-in/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [“The goal of mathematics is the symbolic comprehension of the infinite with human, that is finite, means.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-goal-of-mathematics-is-the-symbolic-comprehension-of-the-infinite/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [God exists because arithmetic is consistent - the Devil exists because we can't prove it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/god-exists-because-arithmetic-is-consistent-the-devil-exists-because/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [Without the concepts, methods and results found and developed by previous generations right down to Greek antiquity one cannot understand either the aims or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/without-the-concepts-methods-and-results-found-and-developed-by/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [Besides language and music, mathematics is one of the primary manifestations of the free creative power of the human mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/besides-language-and-music-mathematics-is-one-of-the-primary/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [Our mathematics of the last few decades has wallowed in generalities and formalizations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/our-mathematics-of-the-last-few-decades-has-wallowed-in-generalities/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [“The Greeks made Space the subject-matter of a science of supreme simplicity and certainty. Out of it grew, in the mind of classical antiquity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-greeks-made-space-the-subject-matter-of-a-science-of-supreme/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) [Explore all 39 Hermann Weyl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) ## More Acts of violence quotes > [There was a man named Robert Dear who in court said he was a warrior for the babies, whose ex-wife talked about his Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/there-was-a-man-named-robert-dear-who-in-court-said-he-was-a-warrior/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [“By the time they're out of preschool, most children have already seen thousands of acts of violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/by-the-time-they-re-out-of-preschool-most-children-have-already-seen/) [Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/) > [We would never ask any other faith community to stand up and condemn acts of violence committed by people within their groups. The fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-sarsour/we-would-never-ask-any-other-faith-community-to-stand-up-and-condemn/) [Linda Sarsour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-sarsour/) > [I learned that victims come in all image - some raped, some witnessing an act of violence, some losing loved ones. I learned that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/i-learned-that-victims-come-in-all-image-some-raped-some-witnessing/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [I want people around the world to hear me. To all those who would do us harm, no act of terror will go unpunished.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-people-around-the-world-to-hear-me-to-all-those-who-would-do/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [How do we deal with not just the acts of violence, but the extremist ideology that lies behind them? Because though the numbers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/how-do-we-deal-with-not-just-the-acts-of-violence-but-the-extremist/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Muslim leaders around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/muslim-leaders-around-the-globe-have-to-continue-working-with-us-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The introduction of numbers as coordinates by reference to the particular division scheme of the open one-dimensional continuum is an act of violence whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinates-by-reference-to-the/) [Hermann Weyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/) > [“He wished he understood where they come from: all the terrorists, religious revolutionists and hate-criminals. Did terrorizing entire communities of people help them sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thisuri-wanniarachchi/he-wished-he-understood-where-they-come-from-all-the-terrorists/) [Thisuri Wanniarachchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thisuri-wanniarachchi/) > [By the age of 18, the average American has witnessed 200,000 acts of violence on television, most of them occurring during Game 1 of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/by-the-age-of-18-the-average-american-has-witnessed-200-000-acts-of/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [Of course I tensed up when he touched me. To be with him was to hurt him-inevitably. And that's what I'd felt as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/of-course-i-tensed-up-when-he-touched-me-to-be-with-him-was-to-hurt/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [We have agreed with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to cease all acts of violence against the Israelis and against the Palestinians wherever they are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abbas/we-have-agreed-with-prime-minister-ariel-sharon-to-cease-all-acts-of/) [Mahmoud Abbas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-abbas/) > [I feel like acts of violence against women are detestable, and they need to be dealt with, and they are important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-priestley/i-feel-like-acts-of-violence-against-women-are-detestable-and-they/) [Jason Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-priestley/) > [Another bigger problem is the fact that these incidents of police violence continue to occur because far too often the officers on the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakeem-jeffries/another-bigger-problem-is-the-fact-that-these-incidents-of-police/) [Hakeem Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakeem-jeffries/) > [During the summer of 2009, the debate on health care reform was emotional and intense. At its best, it represented the free exchange of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/during-the-summer-of-2009-the-debate-on-health-care-reform-was/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) [Browse all 133 Acts of violence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-of-violence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The introduction of numbers as coordinates is an act of violence.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hermann Weyl" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinates-is-an-act-of-violence/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acts of violence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinates-is-an-act-of-violence/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/hermann-weyl-16709_acts-of-violence_the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinat_857730.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/hermann-weyl-16709_acts-of-violence_the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinat_857730.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/hermann-weyl-16709_acts-of-violence_the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinat_857730.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The introduction of numbers as coordinates is an act of violence.” — Hermann Weyl", "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": "Hermann Weyl", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-weyl/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The introduction of numbers as coordinates...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinates-is-an-act-of-violence/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-weyl/the-introduction-of-numbers-as-coordinates-is-an-act-of-violence/#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 } } ] } ```