"The fact that N Bourbaki was not a real person and represented a group of mathematicians was known to very few, for example, Ralph Boas, but the world of mathematics had come to believe in his existence. In an article for the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Boas revealed the truth; he was severely reprimanded in a letter to him "From my ashram in the Himalayas", beginning with "You miserable worm, how dare you say that I do not exist?" and signed 'Nicolas Bourbaki'!"
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Editors from the United StatesMathematicians from the United StatesHarvard University alumniPeople from Washington (state)
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
as quoted by C. S. Yogananda in:
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ralph_P._Boas_Jr.
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Ralph P. Boas Jr.
Ralph Philip Boas Jr. (August 8, 1912 – July 25, 1992) was an American mathematician, noteworthy for his expository writing in mathematics.
3 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Ralph P. Boas Jr. →
Related Quotes
"The predecessors of Newton and Leibnitz knew perfectly well how to determine tangents and areas, but they had to appr…"
"Suppose you want to teach the "cat" concept to a very young child. Do you explain that a cat is a relatively small, p…"
"Would you end war? Create great Peace."
"To be a god First I must be a god-maker: We are what we create."
"Hearts starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread, but give us Roses."
"Up in the heights of the evening skies I see my City of Cities float In sunset’s golden and crimson dyes: I look, and…"
"They can only set free men free... And there is no need of that: Free men set themselves free."
"Hadn't he been blowing kisses to Earth millions of years before I was born?"
"Quick as a hummingbird is my love, Dipping into the hearts of flowers—She darts so eagerly, swiftly, sweetly, Dipping…"
"We age inevitably: The old joys fade and are gone: And at last comes equanimity and the flame burning clear."