Philip Jourdain - The nature of mathematics (1912)

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When we wish to bring to the knowledge of a person any phenomena or processes of nature, we have the choice of two methods: we may allow the person to observe matters for himself, when instruction comes to an end; or, we may describe to him the phenomena in some way, so as to save him the trouble of personally making anew each experiment.

Philip Jourdain

Natural science is occupied very largely with the prevention of waste of the labour of thought and muscle when we want to call up, for some purpose or other, certain facts of experience.

Philip Jourdain

Men of a most abstract science, such as mathematics or philosophy, are chiefly adapted for the ends of ordinary life; when they think, they think, at the bottom, like other men.

Philip Jourdain

The end of very much mathematics and of the work of many eminent men is the simple and, as far as may be, accurate description of things in the world around us, of which we become conscious through our senses.

Philip Jourdain