--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Today, it is not only that our kings do…" description: "\"Today, it is not only that our kings do not know mathematics, but our philosophers do not know mathematics and - to go a step further - our mathematici..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/j-robert-oppenheimer-6978_kings_today-it-is-not-only-that-our-kings-do-n_2290050.jpg" --- # Today, it is not only that our kings do not know… ![“Today, it is not only that our kings do not know mathematics, but our philosophers do not know mathematics and - to go a step further - our mathematicians do not know mathematics.” quote by J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/j-robert-oppenheimer-6978_kings_today-it-is-not-only-that-our-kings-do-n_2290050.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/j-robert-oppenheimer-6978_kings_today-it-is-not-only-that-our-kings-do-n_2290050.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/j-robert-oppenheimer-6978_kings_today-it-is-not-only-that-our-kings-do-n_2290050.jpg) > “Today, it is not only that our kings do not know mathematics, but our philosophers do not know mathematics and - to go a step further - our mathematicians do not know mathematics.” [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even experts in philosophy and mathematics often lack deep mathematical knowledge, highlighting gaps in interdisciplinary expertise. **In simple terms:** Experts can be ignorant outside their field. Key Takeaway Encourage cross‑disciplinary learning. Themes education expertise interdisciplinarity Mood critical inquisitive Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - university curricula - research collaborations - policy making Key Concepts knowledge gaps academic silos Questions to Reflect On - Why do experts avoid other fields? - How can we bridge knowledge gaps? A Different Perspective Specialists may resist learning outside their domain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician/) [Mathematicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematicians/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [The mathematicians know a great deal about very little and the physicists very little about a great deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-ulam/the-mathematicians-know-a-great-deal-about-very-little-and-the/) [Stanislaw Ulam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-ulam/) > [What you can imagine depends on what you know. Philosophers who know only philosophy consign themselves to a janitorial role in the great enterprises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-you-can-imagine-depends-on-what-you-know-philosophers-who-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What sort of philosophers are we, who know absolutely nothing of the origin and destiny of cats?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/what-sort-of-philosophers-are-we-who-know-absolutely-nothing-of-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [When we meet with better fare than was expected, the disappointment is overlooked even by the unscrupulous. When we meet with worse than was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/when-we-meet-with-better-fare-than-was-expected-the-disappointment-is/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [The tendency of philosophers who know nothing of machinery is to talk of man as a mere mechanism, intending by this to imply that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-young/the-tendency-of-philosophers-who-know-nothing-of-machinery-is-to-talk/) [Arthur Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-young/) > [“Why do scientists never debate philosophers? It’s because they know they would be destroyed in argument, when they have to actually clarify their ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dixon/why-do-scientists-never-debate-philosophers-it-s-because-they-know/) Joe Dixon > [At the beginning of the new millennium, we still do not know why mathematics is true and whether it is certain. But we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berlinski/at-the-beginning-of-the-new-millennium-we-still-do-not-know-why/) [David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berlinski/) > [“By the sound of things, you know nothing about mathematics.' 'You can put it like that. I'm utterly useless.' 'Useless is such a harsh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-munro/by-the-sound-of-things-you-know-nothing-about-mathematics-you-can-put/) [Charlotte Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-munro/) > [To those who do not know mathematics it is difficult to get across a real feeling as to the deepest beauty of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-those-who-do-not-know-mathematics-it-is-difficult-to-get-across-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The idea here, of course, is, you know, mathematics is the language of science, it's the way that we understand the natural world. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anya-kamenetz/the-idea-here-of-course-is-you-know-mathematics-is-the-language-of/) [Anya Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anya-kamenetz/) > [To those who do not know mathematics it is difficult to get across a real feeling as to the beauty, the deepest beauty, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-those-who-do-not-know-mathematics-it-is-difficult-to-get-across-a-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I did not, however, commit suicide, because I wished to know more of mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-did-not-however-commit-suicide-because-i-wished-to-know-more-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Some humans are mathematicians-others aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/some-humans-are-mathematicians-others-aren-t/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [As for mathematicians themselves: don't expect too much help. Most of them are too far removed in their ivory towers to take up such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/as-for-mathematicians-themselves-don-t-expect-too-much-help-most-of/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) ## More by J. Robert Oppenheimer > [In some sort of crude sense, which no vulgarity, no humor, no overstatement can quite extinguish, the physicists have known sin; and this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/in-some-sort-of-crude-sense-which-no-vulgarity-no-humor-no/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/discovery-follows-discovery-each-both-raising-and-answering-questions/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [There are no secrets about the world of nature. There are secrets about the thoughts and intentions of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/there-are-no-secrets-about-the-world-of-nature-there-are-secrets/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [It is proper to the role of the scientist that he not merely find new truth and communicate it to his fellows, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/it-is-proper-to-the-role-of-the-scientist-that-he-not-merely-find-new/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [To try to be happy is to try to build a machine with no other specification than that it shall run noiselessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/to-try-to-be-happy-is-to-try-to-build-a-machine-with-no-other/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/we-knew-the-world-would-not-be-the-same-a-few-people-laughed-a-few/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [We hunger for nobility: the rare words and acts that harmonize simplicity and truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/we-hunger-for-nobility-the-rare-words-and-acts-that-harmonize/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [I saw what the Depression was doing to my students. Often they could get no jobs, or jobs which were wholly inadequate. And through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/i-saw-what-the-depression-was-doing-to-my-students-often-they-could/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [This world of ours is a new world, in which the unit of knowledge, the nature of human communities, the order of society, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/this-world-of-ours-is-a-new-world-in-which-the-unit-of-knowledge-the/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [My childhood did not prepare me for the fact that the world is full of cruel and bitter things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/my-childhood-did-not-prepare-me-for-the-fact-that-the-world-is-full/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [You can certainly destroy enough of humanity so that only the greatest act of faith can persuade you that what's left will be human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/you-can-certainly-destroy-enough-of-humanity-so-that-only-the/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [In the spring of 1936, I was introduced by friends to Jean Tatlock. In the autumn, I began to court her. We were at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/in-the-spring-of-1936-i-was-introduced-by-friends-to-jean-tatlock-in/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [When we deny the EVIL within ourselves, we dehumanize ourselves, and we deprive ourselves not only of our own destiny but of any possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/when-we-deny-the-evil-within-ourselves-we-dehumanize-ourselves-and-we/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [Pragmatism is an intellectually safe but ultimately sterile philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/pragmatism-is-an-intellectually-safe-but-ultimately-sterile-philosophy/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [“Knowledge cannot be pursued without morality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/knowledge-cannot-be-pursued-without-morality/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) [Explore all 96 J. Robert Oppenheimer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) ## More Kings quotes > [Plenty of white space and generous line spacing,and don't make the type size too miserly. Then you will be assured of a product fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giambattista-bodoni/plenty-of-white-space-and-generous-line-spacing-and-don-t-make-the/) Giambattista Bodoni > [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [ I think it is worse \[in 2015\] for a mid-list author such as myself. You either have to sell like Stephen King or go… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-p-kinsella/i-think-it-is-worse-in-2015-for-a-mid-list-author-such-as-myself-you/) [W. P. Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-p-kinsella/) > [The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy. Others attain unto a glory and may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/the-only-men-who-become-gods-even-the-sons-of-god-are-those-who-enter/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [My dad's family were political and he was always a theatrical creature, whereas my mum is really musical and her father was the touring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/my-dad-s-family-were-political-and-he-was-always-a-theatrical/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [What is accurately portrayed is the rich humanity not just of Martin Luther King but of the movement, which was a multiracial movement. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/what-is-accurately-portrayed-is-the-rich-humanity-not-just-of-martin/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [If Jesus is king in heaven then the Kingdom of God is in heaven. If Jesus is king, reign on earth then the Kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/if-jesus-is-king-in-heaven-then-the-kingdom-of-god-is-in-heaven-if/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [ Steve \[King\] has been incredibly supportive. He's also really good about getting back to me when I have questions about plot or characterization. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-furth/steve-king-has-been-incredibly-supportive-he-s-also-really-good-about/) [Robin Furth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-furth/) > [As a sports fan, the Los Angeles Kings winning the Stanley Cup makes me feel very alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/five-for-fighting/as-a-sports-fan-the-los-angeles-kings-winning-the-stanley-cup-makes/) Five for Fighting > [Well, I don't want to be king, I want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/well-i-don-t-want-to-be-king-i-want-to-be-real/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The rights essential to happiness. . . . We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings and Lord of all the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-rights-essential-to-happiness-we-claim-them-from-a-higher-source/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Here will be an old abusing of God's patience and the king's English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/here-will-be-an-old-abusing-of-god-s-patience-and-the-king-s-english/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Benny Carter came up to me and said to me, "You know, in the whole history of the alto, I think Phil is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/benny-carter-came-up-to-me-and-said-to-me-you-know-in-the-whole/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [My child, seek those things which make for peace. Cease to stir up the King against the Church, and urge upon him a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-child-seek-those-things-which-make-for-peace-cease-to-stir-up-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 4,009 Kings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Today, it is not only that our kings do not know mathematics, but our philosophers do not know mathematics and - to go a step further - our mathematicians do not know mathematics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. 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