Dutch Mathematician Quotes

Max Euwe
L. E. J. Brouwer
Hans Freudenthal

The Rule of Three, or Golden Rule of Arithmetical whole Numbers. Be the three terms given 2 3 4....To finde their fourth proporcional Term: that is to say, in such Reason to the third term 4, as the second term 3, is to the first term.... Multiply the second term 3, by the third term 4, & giveth the product 12: which dividing by the first term 2, giveth the Quotient 6: I say that 6 is the fourth proportional term required.

Fundamental definitions do not arise at the start but at the end of the exploration, because in order to define a thing you must know what it is and what it is good for.

Hans Freudenthal
Hans Freudenthal
Alekhine is a poet who creates a work of art out of something that would hardly inspire another man to send home a picture post card.

Max Euwe
Max Euwe
The application will then, sometimes directly, but more frequently through a chain of intermediate stages, have significant bearing upon the content of human experience and furnish results which may be called true. Their truth then gives, retroactively, a sound basis for belief in the validity of the conclusions of mathematics.

Mathematics is a vast adventure of ideas; its history reflects some of the noblest thoughts of countless generations.

The subject for which I am asking your attention deals with the foundations of mathematics. To understand the development of the opposing theories existing in this field one must first gain a clear understnding of the concept "science"; for it is as a part of science that mathematics originally took its place in human thought.

L. E. J. Brouwer
L. E. J. Brouwer