By and large it is uniformly true in mathematics that there is a time lapse between a mathematical discovery and the moment when it is useful; and that this lapse of time can be anything from 30 to 100 years, in some cases even more; and that the whole system seems to function without any direction, without any reference to usefulness, and without any desire to do things which are useful.

You wake me up early in the morning to tell me I am right? Please wait until I am wrong.

The total subject of mathematics is clearly too broad for any of us. I do not think that any mathematician since Gauss has covered it uniformly and fully; even Hilbert did not and all of us are of considerably lesser width quite apart from the question of depth than Hilbert.

With four parameters I can fit an elephant, and with five I can make him wiggle his trunk.

Life is a process which may be abstracted from other media.

Technological possibilities are irresistible to man. If man can go to the moon, he will. If he can control the climate, he will.

Problems are often stated in vague terms... because it is quite uncertain what the problems really are.