Re: How to Become a Pure Mathematician

Virgil wrote:
In article <UvKdndsJsPV8EtDa4p2dnAA@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
David Ullrich <ullrich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Stephen Montgomery-Smith wrote:
Virgil wrote:
In article <a2453047-468d-43d4-ba93-a2c70b4a051d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Don Stockbauer <donstockbauer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Nov 27, 10:08 am, mathed...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:10:38 -0800 (PST), mathphy...@xxxxxxxxxxxx
wrote:

http://hk.geocities.com/mathphyweb/puremath.htm
a List of Undergraduate and Basic Graduate Textbook
And just what is a "pure" mathematician?
A religious virgin???
A pure mathematician makes sure his/her results are useless.
Then G. H. Hardy wasn't one, as his number theory became useful.
Years ago I read G.H. Hardy's "A Mathematician's Apology." While you are probably correct that by this definition Hardy is no longer a pure mathematician, had this taken place when he was alive, he probably would have been extremely upset!

Personally, I thought Hardy's perspective on life was depressing and wrong-headed. But that's just my opinion.
That particular opinion is correct (as is easily seen by comparing
it with my opinion). Anyone who reads "A Mathematician's Apology"
should also read Littlewood "A Mathematical Miscellany" (or
something like that) for balance.


I think that should be Littlewood's "A Mathematician's Miscellany".

It's a nice book. It's not really a counterpoint to Hardy's book, rather it is a collection fun little anecdotes.

(I should add that I also read this book 20 years ago, so my memory might be faulty.)
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: How to Become a Pure Mathematician
    ... Then G. H. Hardy wasn't one, as his number theory became useful. ... But that's just my opinion. ... Anyone who reads "A Mathematician's Apology" ... should also read Littlewood "A Mathematical Miscellany" (or ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: How to Become a Pure Mathematician
    ... a List of Undergraduate and Basic Graduate Textbook ... A pure mathematician makes sure his/her results are useless. ... are probably correct that by this definition Hardy is no longer a pure mathematician, had this taken place when he was alive, he probably would have been extremely upset! ... But that's just my opinion. ...
    (sci.math)