Henri Poincare
Henri Poincare
Jules Henri Poincaréwas a French mathematician, theoretical physicist, engineer, and a philosopher of science. He is often described as a polymath, and in mathematics as The Last Universalist by Eric Temple Bell, since he excelled in all fields of the discipline as it existed during his lifetime...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionMathematician
Date of Birth29 April 1854
CountryFrance
wish study mathematics
If we wish to foresee the future of mathematics, our proper course is to study the history and present condition of the science.
disease generations mathematics
Later generations will regard Mengenlehre (set theory) as a disease from which one has recovered.
errors mathematics mathematical
How is error possible in mathematics?
simple chance mathematics
It is the simple hypotheses of which one must be most wary; because these are the ones that have the most chances of passing unnoticed.
mathematics geometry theorems
One geometry cannot be more true than another; it can only be more convenient.
intuition logic mathematics
It is by logic that we prove, but by intuition that we discover. To know how to criticize is good, to know how to create is better.
groups mathematics tales
All of mathematics is a tale about groups.
means necessary neither nor
Thus, be it understood, to demonstrate a theorem, it is neither necessary nor even advantageous to know what it means . . . .
american-journalist governed phenomenon succeeding
If that enabled us to predict the succeeding situation with the same approximation, that is all we require, and we should say that the phenomenon had been predicted, that it is governed by the laws.
avoiding consists infinite invention useful useless
Invention consists in avoiding the constructing of useless contraptions and in constructing the useful combinations which are in infinite minority. To invent is to discern, to choose.
american-journalist cannot cause determines due effect escapes notice
A very small cause which escapes our notice determines a considerable effect that we cannot fail to see, and then we say that the effect is due to chance.
american-journalist believe both convenient equally necessity
To doubt everything, or, to believe everything, are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with the necessity of reflection.
american-journalist species
It has adopted the geometry most advantageous to the species or, in other words, the most convenient.
american-journalist relations remain replace
Thus, they are free to replace some objects by others so long as the relations remain unchanged.