Significant Figures Quotes

“Platonist view of mathematical ideas: that mathematical truths ‘really’ exist, but they do so in an ideal form in some sort of parallel reality, which has always existed and always will.”
― Ian Stewart, Significant Figures: The Lives and Work of Great Mathematicians

“Even today, women are generally under-represented in mathematics and science, but it’s no longer socially acceptable to attribute this to differences in ability or mentality, as several prominent men have discovered to their dismay. Nor is there a shred of evidence to support those views.”
― Ian Stewart, Significant Figures: The Lives and Work of Great Mathematicians

“Hilbert started talking about past lectures at the Club, saying that the quality had generally declined over the years. In his day, he said, people really thought about content and presentation, but nowadays young people usually gave poor talks.”
― Ian Stewart, Significant Figures: The Lives and Work of Great Mathematicians