Sapere Aude! Dare to know! Have the courage to use your own intelligence! The motto of the Enlightenment
“I used to think that I was stupid. Later I decided I was normal.” — Paul Halmos
“I feel that my main responsibility as a teacher isn’t to convey facts, but to rekindle that lost enthusiasm for asking questions.”– Max Tegmark
“Train hard, fight easy.” — Generalissimo Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov — The Science of Victory
“Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.” Benjamin Franklin as quoted by a Masterchef finalist
“The biggest mistake you can make is being afraid to make one.” — the voice of experience
“Fear of mistakes guarantees mistakes.” Garry Kasparov in conversation with Lex Fridman
“Mathematics is not a spectator sport” — an observation made by many teachers of mathematics
“A knowledge of mathematics is like swimming: it is a skill which must be practiced.” — Norbert Wiener
Μη είναι βασιλικήν ατραπόν επί γεωμετρίαν — “there is no royal trail (shortcut) towards geometry” Euclid’s reply to Ptolemy I, when the latter asked if there was a quicker route to learning than study of The Elements
Norbert Wiener entitled his autobiography I Am a Mathematician; Paul Halmos chose I Want to Be a Mathematician. While both titles are apt, I find myself more aligned with the sentiment behind Halmos’—it conveys humility, an essential quality in all meaningful pursuits, plus the desire to know more and to grow in ability.