Cases Quote by Paul Halmos

The heart of mathematics consists of concrete examples and concrete problems. Big general theories are usually afterthoughts based on small but profound insights; the…

— Paul Halmos

The art of doing mathematics consists in finding that special case which contains all the germs of generality

— David Hilbert

Another characteristic of mathematical thought is that it can have no success where it cannot generalize.

— Charles Sanders Peirce

“To generalize is to be an idiot," said Blake. Perhaps he went too far. But to generalize is to be a finite mind. Generalities…

— C.S. Lewis

“The certainty of mathematics depends on its complete abstract generality.”

— Alfred North Whitehead

“This quest to take a problem and see what happens in different situations is called generalizing, and it is this force that drives mathematics…

— Matt Parker

Before you generalize, formalize, and axiomatize there must be mathematical substance.

— Hermann Weyl

Mathematics is merely the means to a general and ultimate knowledge of man.

— Friedrich Nietzsche

Generalization is necessary to the advancement of knowledge; but particularity is indispensable to the creations of the imagination.

— Thomas B. Macaulay

Mathematicians themselves set up standards of generality and elegance in their exposition which are a bar to understand.

— Kenneth E. Boulding

Before one can generalize, formalize, and axiomatize, there must be a mathematical substance.

— Hermann Weyl

An idea is always a generalization, and generalization is a property of thinking. To generalize means to think.

— Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel