Herbert Wilf quotes

“The full beauty of the subject of generating functions emerges only from tuning in on both channels: the discrete and the continuous.”
-- Herbert Wilf

#Math Quotes #Tuning Quotes #Function Quotes

“A generating function is a clothesline on which we hang up a sequence of numbers for display.”
-- Herbert Wilf

#Numbers Quotes #Mathematics Quotes #Clotheslines Quotes

“Induction makes you feel guilty for getting something out of nothing, and it is artificial, but it is one of the greatest ideas of civilization.”
-- Herbert Wilf

#Science Quotes #Civilization Quotes #Ideas Quotes

“In Mathematics it is always best to cheat.”
-- Herbert Wilf

#Science Quotes #Cheat Quotes #Mathematics Quotes

“For every epsilon, there is a delta.”
-- Herbert Wilf

#Delta Quotes

“The research reported on in our book "A=B", has moved a whole active field of mathematics from the province of human thought to the realm of computer-fodder. It is quite exciting to think about what other fields of pure mathematics, hitherto thought to be reserved to human intelligence, might be moved to that realm next. The goal is to put ourselves out of business completely, and the work is well underway.”
-- Herbert Wilf

#Book Quotes #Science Quotes #Thinking Quotes

“Since the mathematicians have invaded the theory of relativity I do not understand it myself any more.”

“The question you raise, 'How can such a formulation lead to computations?' doesn't bother me in the least! Throughout my whole life as a mathematician, the possibility of making explicit, elegant computations has always come out by itself, as a byproduct of a thorough conceptual understanding of what was going on. Thus I never bothered about whether what would come out would be suitable for this or that, but just tried to understand - and it always turned out that understanding was all that mattered.”

“Conservatives have long argued, correctly, that 'fine-tuning' the economy is a chimera, but that argument seems to have disappeared from the conservative handbook.”

“It is annoying that the rules of chess do not allow a pawn to take either horizontally or backwards, but only forwards ... This psychological tuning is ideal for attacking purposes, but what about for defence?”

“The full beauty of the subject of generating functions emerges only from tuning in on both channels: the discrete and the continuous.”

“Like cars, every relationship requires a bit of an occasional service, and fine-tuning should be compulsory.”

Source : "Should I break up with my long-term friend?" by Mariella Frostrup, www.theguardian.com. June 02, 2013.

“All men are intellectuals, but not all men have in society the function of intellectuals”

Source : "Selections from the Prison Notebooks". Book by Antonio Gramsci, 1971.

“It is the function of women to teach men how to be human.”

Source : Ashley Montagu (1999). “The Natural Superiority of Women”, p.232, Rowman Altamira

“How is it possible for me to be so miserable and embarrassed and humiliated and beaten an function still talk and smile and concentrate?”

“I function better when my back is to the wall.”