Bertrand Russell Quotes about Math

BERTRAND RUSSELL, The Philosophy of Logical Atomism We've associated that word philosophy with academic study that in its own way has gotten so far beyond the layman that if you read contemporary philosophy you've no clue, because it's almost become math. And it's odd that if you don't do that and you call yourself a philosopher that you always get 'homespun' attached to it.

Bertrand Russell

Philosophy, Math, Way

Men who are unhappy, like men who sleep badly, are always proud of the fact.

Bertrand Russell

Happiness, Sleep, Math

Conquest of Happiness (1930) ch. 1

The most savage controversies are about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way.

Bertrand Russell

Anger, Math, Religion

Bertrand Russell (2009). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell”, p.67, Routledge

All exact science is dominated by the idea of approximation.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Science, Ideas

Bertrand Russell (2001). “The Scientific Outlook”, p.45, Psychology Press

Mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true.

Bertrand Russell

Fake People, Math, Talking

"Mathematics and Metaphysicians" (1901)

Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Science, Air

Bertrand Russell (1993). “The Quotable Bertrand Russell”

It can be shown that a mathematical web of some kind can be woven about any universe containing several objects. The fact that our universe lends itself to mathematical treatment is not a fact of any great philosophical significance.

Bertrand Russell

Kindness, Philosophical, Math

To think I have spent my life on absolute muck.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Thinking, Absolutes

"A Mathematician's Miscellany". Book by John Edensor Littlewood, 1953.

Although this may seem a paradox, all exact science is based on the idea of approximation. If a man tells you he knows a thing exactly, then you can be safe in inferring that you are speaking to an inexact man.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Men, Ideas

Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by examining his wives' mouths.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Men, Wife

Impact of Science on Society ch. 1 (1952)

Physics is mathematical not because we know so much about the physical world, but because we know so little; it is only its mathematical properties that we can discover.

Bertrand Russell

Humility, Math, Science

Bertrand Russell (2009). “An Outline of Philosophy”, p.171, Routledge

Mathematics rightly viewed possesses not only truth but supreme beauty.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Western Philosophy, Mathematics

"The Study of Mathematics" (1902)

Ordinary language is totally unsuited for expressing what physics really asserts, since the words of everyday life are not sufficiently abstract. Only mathematics and mathematical logic can say as little as the physicist means to say.

Bertrand Russell

Life, Mean, Math

Bertrand Russell (1992). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell, 1903-1959”, p.626, Psychology Press

I like mathematics because it is not human and has nothing particular to do with this planet or with the whole accidental universe - because, like Spinoza's God, it won't love us in return.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Science, Return

Bertrand Russell (1992). “The Selected Letters of Bertrand Russell: The private years, 1884-1914”, Allen Lane

For a good notation has a subtlety and suggestiveness which at times make it seem almost like a live teacher.

Bertrand Russell

Teacher, Math, Subtlety

"The Collected Papers of Bertrand Russell".

Calculus required continuity, and continuity was supposed to require the infinitely little; but nobody could discover what the infinitely little might be.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Littles, Statistics

Bertrand Russell (2015). “Mysticism and Logic and Other Essays: Top Philosophy Collections”, p.51, 谷月社

Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty-a beauty cold and austere ... yet sublimely pure and capable of stern perfection such as only the greatest art can show.

Bertrand Russell

Art, Math, Perfection

"The Study of Mathematics" (1902)

A habit of basing convictions upon evidence, and of giving to them only that degree or certainty which the evidence warrants, would, if it became general, cure most of the ills from which the world suffers.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Science, Giving

Mathematics takes us into the region of absolute necessity, to which not only the actual word, but every possible word, must conform.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Conformity, Regions

The method of "postulating" what we want has many advantages; they are the same as the advantages of theft over honest toil.

Bertrand Russell

Honesty, Math, Toil

Bertrand Russell (2007). “Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy”, p.71, Spokesman Books

At first it seems obvious, but the more you think about it the stranger the deductions from this axiom seem to become; in the end you cease to understand what is meant by it.

Bertrand Russell

Math, Thinking, Understanding