David Hilbert

The most beautiful theorems in mathematics are those that are unexpected.

The problems of mathematics are a journey of discovery.

The true essence of mathematics is its abstractness.

The most powerful tools in mathematics are those that simplify complex problems.

The problems of mathematics are a reflection of the human desire to understand the world.

Mathematics is an exact science, and mathematics only.

The object of mathematics is to find the most general laws by which the relations of numbers and magnitudes can be expressed.

For the mathematician there is no 'ignorabimus', and, in my opinion, not at all for natural science either.

Mathematics is the queen of the sciences and arithmetic the queen of mathematics.

We are not speaking here of arbitrary rules, but of those which are necessary for the construction of a consistent system.

The value of a science is not measured by its immediate practical utility, but by its intellectual beauty and its power to explain the world.

The infinite is only an idea, a concept, a mental construct.

Mathematics is the tool specially suited for dealing with abstract concepts of any kind and there is no limit to its power in this field.

The further a mathematical theory is developed, the more beautiful and the more elegant it becomes.

The goal of mathematics is to discover the laws that govern the universe.

The problems of mathematics are not isolated, but are interconnected.

Mathematics is not a game of chance, but a game of skill.

The essence of mathematics lies in its freedom.

The infinite is not a number, but a concept.

The infinite is not a quantity, but a quality.