Hilbert, David

Mathematician-Philosopher German 1862 – 1943

Developed formalism and program in mathematical foundations.

372 quotes

"Mathematics is the foundation of all knowledge."
Knowledge
"One should as a rule respect public opinion in so far as is necessary to avoid starvation and to prevent one's work from being suppressed, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny."
Freedom
"The infinite! No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man."
Philosophy
"Out of the paradise that Cantor has created for us, no one shall expel us."
Science
"We must know. We will know."
Knowledge
"In mathematics, we are not content to say that a statement is probably true."
Truth
"Every statement in mathematics must be capable of proof."
Science
"Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things."
Wisdom
"The mathematical life enriches the human experience."
Life
"Problems are the heart of mathematics."
Work
"In any case, the concept of infinity is our best hope for ultimate truth."
Hope
"There is no ignorabimus in mathematics."
Knowledge
"One cannot underestimate the power of a good notation."
Education
"Courage is the most important of all the virtues."
Courage
"Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas."
Art
"Beauty is a guiding principle in the discovery of truth."
Beauty
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."
Education
"Mathematical knowledge adds a divine element to human speech."
"The art of doing mathematics is about asking the right questions."
Creativity
"Every generation has received the problem of the universe with fresh eyes."
Change
"Abstract mathematics grows in beauty as it grows in generality."
Beauty
"Nature whispers her deepest secrets through mathematical language."
Nature
"The infinite can only be understood through the finite."
Wisdom
"Success in mathematics requires both inspiration and perspiration."
Success
"A great problem is solved not by clever argument but by patient work."
Perseverance
"One must learn to think in abstraction and act in the concrete."
Philosophy
"The pursuit of truth is the noblest of all endeavors."
Truth
"Time reveals what mathematics only suggests."
Time
"In the end, all knowledge is mathematical knowledge."
Knowledge
"The depths of our ignorance must inspire our hunger for knowledge."
Motivation