Several reactions: (1) I have trouble seeing in the reference to H
the exact reference for "I would . . ." supportive reference, of course;
but an exacts reference??? (2) More importantly w.r.t "the test of
time": let me distinguish. If a person is looking for proofs of
propositions, then scarcely will you find them among the Babylonians,
Chinese, or Hindu mathematians. If a person is look for applications of
propositions, then widely will you find them among B,C, or H
mathematicians. (3) A lot depends on what the mathematician is looking
for in mathematics. (4) Isn't there a bit of snobbery in the
Littlewood/Hardy remark as quoted?
Thanks for the inquiry!
Barney
On Mon, 2 Nov 1998, Julio Gonzalez Cabillon wrote:
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> On July 1, 1998, Sherman Stein asked:
>
> "Does anyone know who said something like "I would welcome
> Archimedes as a colleague?" I would like to know the exact
> reference. Perhaps it was G. H. Hardy."
>
> Antreas P. Hatzipolakis replied:
>
> "It was J. E. Littlewood"
>
> and provided the following reference:
>
> "The Greeks were the first mathematicians who are still 'real'
> to us to-day. Oriental mathematics may be an interesting
> curiosity, but Greek mathematics is the real thing. The Greeks
> first spoke a language which modern mathematicians can understand;
> as Littlewood said to me once, they are not clever schoolboys
> or 'scholarship candidates', but 'Fellows of another college'."
> [ G.H. Hardy, _A Mathematician's Apology_, in chapter 8. ]
>
> Since Hardy wrote this passage almost 60 years ago, right now I am naively
> wondering whether this passage has passed the test of time.
>
> Reactions and comments would be appreciated!
>
> With best regards,
> Julio
>
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>