--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way to comprehend what…" description: "\"The only way to comprehend what mathematicians mean by Infinity is to contemplate the extent of human stupidity.\" — Voltaire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/voltaire-173_contemplating_the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathemat_3014443.png" --- # The only way to comprehend what mathematicians mean by… ![“The only way to comprehend what mathematicians mean by Infinity is to contemplate the extent of human stupidity.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/voltaire-173_contemplating_the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathemat_3014443.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/voltaire-173_contemplating_the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathemat_3014443.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/voltaire-173_contemplating_the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathemat_3014443.png) > “The only way to comprehend what mathematicians mean by Infinity is to contemplate the extent of human stupidity.” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Infinity in mathematics is abstract, yet human stupidity is boundless, highlighting our limited understanding of vast concepts. **In simple terms:** Human folly exceeds infinite ideas. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of knowledge, stay humble. Themes humility knowledge critique Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - science communication - philosophical debate - teaching Key Concepts infinity human error Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve collective understanding? - What role does humility play in learning? A Different Perspective May undervalue human intellect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Human stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-stupidity/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Infinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinity/) [Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) ## Related quotes > [Here is this three-pound mass of jelly you can hold in the palm of your hand, and it can contemplate the vastness of interstellar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/here-is-this-three-pound-mass-of-jelly-you-can-hold-in-the-palm-of/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [What does infinity mean to you? 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Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-underestimate-the-power-of-human-stupidity/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“I've said this before: a lot of people think they're artists because they feel things deeply. You know, we're in a culture now and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schneider/i-ve-said-this-before-a-lot-of-people-think-they-re-artists-because/) [Dan Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schneider/) > [“...the endless labour of rolling human stupidity up the steep hill of understanding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/the-endless-labour-of-rolling-human-stupidity-up-the-steep-hill-of/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." 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A minor incident in the street brings the cook to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/what-s-given-in-fact-always-depends-on-the-person-or-thing-it-s-given/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [I have actually seen people contemplate their navels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heilpern/i-have-actually-seen-people-contemplate-their-navels/) [John Heilpern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heilpern/) > [It is very pleasant to scratch an itching ring-worm, but the sensation one gets afterwards is very painful and intolerable. In the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/it-is-very-pleasant-to-scratch-an-itching-ring-worm-but-the-sensation/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) > [He that contemplates hath a day without night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/he-that-contemplates-hath-a-day-without-night/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [If we are to define science, ... it does not consist so much in knowing, nor even in "organized knowledge," as it does in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sanders-peirce/if-we-are-to-define-science-it-does-not-consist-so-much-in-knowing/) [Charles Sanders Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sanders-peirce/) > [As we contemplate with reverence and awe how our Savior embraces us, comforts us, and heals us, let us commit to become His hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/as-we-contemplate-with-reverence-and-awe-how-our-savior-embraces-us/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [Contemplating the bowl, it is possible to see the interdependent elements which give rise to the bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/contemplating-the-bowl-it-is-possible-to-see-the-interdependent/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [The two hardest things to contemplate in life ... are failure and age; those are one and the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-two-hardest-things-to-contemplate-in-life-are-failure-and-age/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It always grieves me to contemplate the initiation of children into the ways of life when they are scarcely more than infants. It checks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-always-grieves-me-to-contemplate-the-initiation-of-children-into/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [When contemplating college liberals, you really regret once again that John Walker is not getting the death penalty.We need to execute people like John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/when-contemplating-college-liberals-you-really-regret-once-again-that/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [“That which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/that-which-sings-and-contemplates-in-you-is-still-dwelling-within-the/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [contemplating the misfortunes of others does not lighten one's own trouble but instead adds to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-g-eberhart/contemplating-the-misfortunes-of-others-does-not-lighten-one-s-own/) [Mignon G. Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-g-eberhart/) > [Linda McCartney sausages were my favorite. Theyre much better than eating real sausages and you dont have to contemplate half way through exactly whats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cowell/linda-mccartney-sausages-were-my-favorite-theyre-much-better-than/) [Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cowell/) Browse all 762 Contemplating quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only way to comprehend what mathematicians mean by Infinity is to contemplate the extent of human stupidity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Voltaire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathematicians-mean-by-infinity-is-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contemplating" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathematicians-mean-by-infinity-is-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/voltaire-173_contemplating_the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathemat_3014443.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/voltaire-173_contemplating_the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathemat_3014443.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df8/voltaire-173_contemplating_the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathemat_3014443.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only way to comprehend what mathematicians mean by Infinity is to contemplate the extent of human…” — Voltaire", "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": "Voltaire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only way to comprehend what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathematicians-mean-by-infinity-is-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-only-way-to-comprehend-what-mathematicians-mean-by-infinity-is-to/#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 } } ] } ```