There is no mathematical substitute for philosophy. - William Rowan Hamilton

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There is no mathematical substitute for philosophy.

William Rowan Hamilton

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About William Rowan Hamilton

Sir William Rowan Hamilton (4 August 1805 – 2 September 1865) was an Irish physicist, astronomer, and mathematician, who made important contributions to classical mechanics, optics, and algebra. His studies of mechanical and optical systems led him to discover new mathematical concepts and techniques. His greatest contribution is perhaps the reformulation of Newtonian mechanics, now called Hamiltonian mechanics. This work has proven central to the modern study of classical field theories such as electromagnetism, and to the development of quantum mechanics. In mathematics, he is perhaps best known for his discovery of quaternions.

Also Known As

Alternative Names: Sir William Rowan Hamilton • Hamilton Mathematics Institute • Hamilton

All quotes from William Rowan Hamilton Similar Quotes by other Originators

Originators like William Rowan Hamilton:

Carl Friedrich Gauss Isaac Barrow Hermann Weyl John Wallis James Clerk Maxwell

Additional quotes by William Rowan Hamilton

I used to fear I was not made for mathematics and would look for people to tell me I was on the right track. You need to develop a personal conviction that you are a mathematician, and that what you are doing makes sense.

There is not much difference between the delight a novice experiences in cracking a clever brain teaser and the delight a mathematician experiences in mastering a more advanced problem. Both look on beauty bare -- that clean, sharply defined, mysterious, entrancing order that underlies all structure.

Mathematics may be universal in a nonpersonal sense, but whether it can appeal to all people and be understood by all people is another question.