For a physicist mathematics is not just a tool by means of which phenomena can be calculated, it is the main source of concepts and principles by means of which new theories can be created.
If we had a reliable way to label our toys good and bad, it would be easy to regulate technology wisely. But we can rarely see far enough ahead to know which road leads to damnation.
It's better to get mugged than to live a life of fear.
The bottom line for mathematicians is that the architecture has to be right. In all the mathematics that I did, the essential point was to find the right architecture. It's like building a bridge. Once the main lines of the structure are right, then the details miraculously fit. The problem is the overall design.
Freeman Dyson: Mathematician, Physicist, and Writer. Interview with Donald J.
You ask: what is the meaning or purpose of life? I can only answer with another question: do you think we are wise enough to read God's mind?
(This picture is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. - Taken by Flickr user ioerror, Jacob Appelbaum)
No comments:
Post a Comment