This summer, at MathFest 2024 in Indianapolis, I will be leading a session that combines my three passions:
Quotations
Mathematics
Leading sessions
“Okay, Ben,” you say. “The second of these is obvious, and the third is tautological, but… quotations? Since when have you had a passion for quotations?”
Since high school! Back then, I built my young identity (in today’s dystopia we would say “my personal brand”) around my “Quote of the Week” email newsletter. It featured such timeless witticisms as “I want it to be unclear whether I’m trying to liberate Josh or eliminate his cost” (uttered by a classmate holding a “Free Josh” sign).
Now, I want to bring that same quotable energy to the world of mathematics. I invite you — yes, you! — to submit via this google form.
The quotes may be succinct insights:
Or mysterious observations:
Or surprising analogies:
Or lovely speculations:
Or devastating assessments:
Or poetic sentiments:
Or the puncturing of myths:
Or sci-fi visions:
The planet was absolutely flat. Its enormous gravity had long ago crushed into one uniform level the mountains of its fiery youth—mountains whose mightiest peaks had never exceeded a few meters in height. Yet there was life here, for the surface was covered with a myriad geometrical patterns that crawled and moved and changed their color. It was a world of two dimensions, inhabited by beings who could be no more than a fraction of a centimeter in thickness….
“If those—patterns—are intelligent, the problem of communication will be interesting. I wonder if they have any knowledge of the third dimension?”
Arthur C. Clarke, Childhood’s End
Or whatever you wish! All quotes (not to mention all quoters and all quotees) are welcome. No length limit; for longer passages I may propose a flattering trim. No worries if you’re not planning to attend MathFest; I’d still love to hear the quote, and I’ll share a compilation in some suitable online format.
To submit a quote, please use this Google Form. Feel free to email me (name of the blog at gmail) with any questions, or to comment below.
I hope to see you in Indianapolis — and even if not, I hope to see you in the Google Form!
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